by chance

phrase

: in the haphazard course of events

they met by chance

Examples of by chance in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

If, by chance, Mbappe and Messi were to end the tournament with an equal number of goals and assists, the award would go to the player who achieved those goals/assists in the fewest number of minutes. — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 14 July 2026

Damon and Barroso have been together for over two decades, after crossing paths by chance in 2003 while Damon was filming Stuck on You in Miami, where Barroso was working as a bartender. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 9 July 2026

The actress and singer met Skrip by chance while the two were vacationing in Egypt, with Williams later recalling that their unexpected encounter blossomed into a lasting romance. — Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2026

The Reddit co-founder asked Williams to marry him at Rome’s Cavalieri Hotel—the same place where their paths first crossed by chance in May 2015. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 1 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for by chance

• advance
• askance
• enhance
• expanse
• finance
• freelance
• mischance
• perchance
• romance
• circumstance
• esperance
• exceedance