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Extraneous - Meaning, Definition & English Examples

Extraneous means irrelevant or unnecessary, referring to something that is not essential or does not belong to a particular situation. It often describes extra details or distractions.

extraneous

/ɪkˈstreɪniəs/ /ɪkˈstreɪniəs/

Definition:

Irrelevant or unrelated to the subject; coming from outside.

Synonyms:

irrelevant, unrelated, superfluous, incidental, immaterial

Part of Speech:

adjective

Antonyms:

relevant, essential, pertinent

Common Collocations:

extraneous information, extraneous details, extraneous factors, extraneous noise

Derivatives:

extraneously, extraneousness

Usage Tips:

Use "extraneous" to describe something unnecessary or not belonging to the main topic or context.

Common Phrases:

extraneous matter, extraneous circumstances, extraneous variables

Etymology:

From Latin *extraneus*, meaning "external" or "foreign."

Examples:

  • 1. The teacher asked us to avoid including extraneous details in our essays.
  • 2. His argument was weakened by extraneous points that confused the audience.
  • 3. The report was cluttered with extraneous data no one needed.
  • 4. She ignored the extraneous noise and focused on her work.
  • 5. The contract included several extraneous clauses that were later removed.

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