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as in informal
not designed to be worn only on special occasions a restaurant where people in casual clothes are always welcome

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective casual differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of casual are accidental, contingent, and fortuitous. While all these words mean "not amenable to planning or prediction," casual stresses lack of real or apparent premeditation or intent.

a casual encounter with a stranger

When might accidental be a better fit than casual?

The synonyms accidental and casual are sometimes interchangeable, but accidental stresses chance.

any resemblance to actual persons is entirely accidental

In what contexts can contingent take the place of casual?

While in some cases nearly identical to casual, contingent suggests possibility of happening but stresses uncertainty and dependence on other future events for existence or occurrence.

the contingent effects of the proposed law

When is it sensible to use fortuitous instead of casual?

Although the words fortuitous and casual have much in common, fortuitous so strongly suggests chance that it often connotes entire absence of cause.

a series of fortuitous events

Examples of casual in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Read the full list of the Milwaukee area's top 25 restaurants here, and get a look at 10 great casual restaurants for everyday eats here. Rachel Bernhard, Journal Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2024 Keep scrolling to discover more of my cozy, casual, and cute petite picks from Walmart to help complete your fall wardrobe. Kelsey Fredricks, People.com, 16 Oct. 2024 Any moment, whether casual or more formal, can be right for Bubbly. Alexandra Pastore, WWD, 16 Oct. 2024 The per-report option can be great for casual and first-time users. Grace Butler, USA TODAY, 16 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for casual 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'casual.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near casual

Cite this Entry

“Casual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/casual. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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