parenthetical remark

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A short comment added inside a sentence, usually set off by commas, dashes, or brackets, that is not essential to the main point.

   Grammar: Countable: you can say a parenthetical remark or several parenthetical remarks.

   Patterns

   • make a parenthetical remark
   • add a parenthetical remark
   • a parenthetical remark about something
   • in a parenthetical remark

   She made a parenthetical remark about the weather before returning to her main argument.

   In his essay, a parenthetical remark about his childhood briefly interrupts the discussion of policy.

   The editor removed a parenthetical remark that seemed unrelated to the topic.

2. 2nouncountable

   A brief extra piece of information spoken or written as an aside while someone is talking about something else.

   Grammar: Often used in writing about speech or style; it can refer to a spoken aside as well as a written one.

   Patterns

   • offer a parenthetical remark
   • include a parenthetical remark
   • a parenthetical remark on something

   During the lecture, he offered a parenthetical remark on the difficulty of the reading.

   Her report includes a parenthetical remark on the cost of the project.

   He kept adding parenthetical remarks that made the story harder to follow.

Word forms

Common combinations

make a parenthetical remark

He made a parenthetical remark about the noise outside.

add a parenthetical remark

You can add a parenthetical remark if it helps the reader.

a brief parenthetical remark

A brief parenthetical remark clarified the date.

a parenthetical remark about something

She slipped in a parenthetical remark about her sister.

set off a parenthetical remark

Use commas to set off a parenthetical remark.

Synonyms and how they differ

aside

An aside is usually spoken and directed more openly to the audience, while a parenthetical remark can be written and is often grammatically inserted.

digression

A digression is a longer departure from the main topic, whereas a parenthetical remark is short and stays inside the sentence.

comment

Comment is a general word for any opinion or reaction; a parenthetical remark specifically interrupts a sentence or statement.

Word family

parenthesis noun

A bracket or pair of curved marks used to enclose extra information.

parenthetical adjective

Describing words or information added as an explanation or aside.

parenthetically adverb

In a way that adds a comment inside a sentence.

Commonly confused: parenthetical remark or parenthesis?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “parenthetical remark”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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