What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
tangential
Example
His comment was tangential to the main discussion. [tangential: adjective]
Example
The speaker went off on a tangential topic before returning to the main point. [tangential: adjective]
extraneous
Example
The professor asked us to remove any extraneous information from our essays. [extraneous: adjective]
Example
The article contained a lot of extraneous details that distracted from the main point. [extraneous: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Extraneous is more commonly used than tangential in everyday language. Extraneous is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while tangential is less common and is typically used in the context of discussions or conversations.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between tangential and extraneous?
Both tangential and extraneous are formal words that are typically used in academic or professional contexts to evaluate the relevance or importance of information or ideas.
