incident
IHN-sih-duhnt
Incident (noun) means an event, especially one that is noteworthy, unpleasant, or disruptive. Example: “Police were called to the scene after an incident outside the club.”
noun
1
An event, especially one that is noteworthy, unpleasant, or disruptive.
"Police were called to the scene after an incident outside the club."
"There was a minor incident at the factory, but no one was hurt."
"The school wrote to parents about an incident on the bus."
adjective
1
Naturally connected to or arising from something else.
"The risks incident to the job were explained during training."
"The stress incident to a busy newsroom is something every reporter learns to accept."
"Minor delays are incident to any building project of this size."
How to use incident
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn event, often one that's unplanned or problematic.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
a minor incident
without incident
report an incident
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Word forms
- Plural
- incidents
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Police were called to the scene after an _____ outside the club.
Etymology
From Latin incidens, present participle of incidere, "to happen, befall," from in- + cadere, "to fall."
Related words
Rhymes for incident
See all rhymes for incident →Frequently asked questions
What does “incident” mean?
The word “incident” means an event, especially one that is noteworthy, unpleasant, or disruptive. In plain terms, an event, often one that's unplanned or problematic.
How do you pronounce “incident”?
“Incident” is pronounced IHN-sih-duhnt (/ˈɪnsɪdənt/ in IPA).
How do you use “incident” in a sentence?
Here is “incident” used in a sentence: “Police were called to the scene after an incident outside the club.”
What part of speech is “incident”?
Depending on how it is used, “incident” can be a noun and an adjective.
Where does the word “incident” come from?
The word “incident” comes from Latin. From Latin incidens, present participle of incidere, "to happen, befall," from in- + cadere, "to fall.".
Is “incident” a common word?
“Incident” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “incident” have?
“Incident” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an event, especially one that is noteworthy, unpleasant, or disruptive.
What is the difference between incident and incidence?
An 'incident' is a single event, usually a specific one that is notable or troublesome — a security incident. 'Incidence' is the rate or frequency at which something occurs — the incidence of a disease. One counts a single happening; the other measures how often something happens across a group.
Does 'incident' always mean something bad?
Not always, but it often carries a serious or negative undertone, referring to unpleasant or disruptive events — a violent incident, a diplomatic incident. Neutrally, it can simply mean a distinct event. Interestingly, the phrase 'without incident' means the very opposite: that nothing went wrong at all.
What is an example of an incident?
Examples include a minor traffic incident, a security incident at the airport, or 'the incident was reported to police'. The word marks a specific, self-contained event, usually one worth noting because it was unusual, unpleasant, or disruptive rather than an ordinary, routine part of the day.
What does 'without incident' mean?
It means something happened smoothly, with no trouble, disruption, or notable problems. For example, 'the flight landed without incident' means the journey was calm and uneventful. The phrase relies on the word's link to disturbance — an absence of incident signals that everything went as it should.
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