“By the Way” vs. “Incidentally”: What’s the Difference?

Jun 8, 2023
Engram
A line illustration of two people with their mouth open, and a giant question mark between them.

The difference between “by the way” and “incidentally”

  • "By the way" is more commonly used in casual conversations, while "incidentally" is more often used in formal or professional settings.
  • "By the way" is often used to change the subject briefly, while "incidentally" is used to add to the current topic.
  • "By the way" implies that the information being added is not essential to the current conversation, while "incidentally" implies that the added information is interesting or noteworthy.
Communicate naturally with Engram AI proofreader

What is the definition of “by the way” and “incidentally”?

By the way
  • It is an expression used to introduce information that is not directly related to the current topic.
  • It is often used to change the subject of conversation briefly.
  • It is considered a casual and informal expression.
Incidentally
  • It is an expression used to add a comment or information that is not directly related to the main topic.
  • It is often used to convey something interesting or noteworthy.
  • It is considered a more formal expression than "by the way."

Which is the more popular variant on the Internet?

“By the way” is the more popular variant on the web.
More popular
By the way
1,440,000,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. By the way, did you remember to call your mom?
  2. By the way, I heard that the restaurant around the corner has amazing sushi.
  3. By the way, I just wanted to remind you that the meeting has been moved to next Tuesday.
Incidentally
57,800,000 results on the web
Examples
  1. Incidentally, the bookstore down the street is having a sale on all classic novels.
  2. Incidentally, I found out that my coworker used to play in a famous band.
  3. Incidentally, the hotel we're staying at is rumored to be haunted.
Want to express yourself confidently?
Engram AI proofreader helps you
communicate naturally
An illustration of a person writing freely on their laptop, using Engram.An illustration of a person writing freely on their laptop, using Engram.

Related articles