# incident

/ˈɪnsədənt/ (US) · /ˈɪnsɪdənt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/incident
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. an event or occurrence

noun · CEFR B2

an event, especially one that is unusual, important, or violent.

For teachers: a discrete event or occurrence, often one that is noteworthy or disruptive in nature.

- The police are investigating a serious incident that happened downtown last night.
- The border incident sparked a diplomatic crisis, forcing both nations to recall their ambassadors for urgent consultations.

### 2. a minor problem or interruption

noun · CEFR B2

a small event that causes a problem or stops something from working correctly.

For teachers: a relatively minor event that causes an interruption, malfunction, or potential crisis, particularly in technical or workplace contexts.

- The flight was delayed due to a small technical incident on the runway.
- The IT department managed the security incident quickly, ensuring that no sensitive user data was compromised during the server breach.

### 3. striking a surface

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

used to describe light or energy that is hitting a surface.

For teachers: falling on or striking a surface; used to describe the direction of a ray or beam relative to the surface it hits.

- The scientist measured the angle of the incident light hitting the glass.
- The efficiency of the solar panel depends heavily on the angle of the incident radiation throughout the day.

Usage: Usually placed before the noun it modifies, such as 'incident light' or 'incident ray'.

### 4. naturally connected to

adjective · CEFR C2 · Formal · Technical

happening as a natural part of something else.

For teachers: occurring as a natural or inevitable consequence of something; inherent or appertaining to a specific role or situation.

- Some stress is incident to the job of a doctor.
- The court ruled that the risks were incident to the nature of the contract and therefore the company was not liable for the damages.

Usage: Often follows the pattern 'incident to'.

## Examples

- The police are investigating a serious incident that happened last night.
- The airline apologized for the incident involving a delayed flight and promised to compensate the affected passengers.
- While the border skirmish was initially dismissed as an isolated incident, it soon became clear that it was part of a broader pattern of regional instability.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.