casual

1 of 2

adjective

ca·​su·​al ˈka-zhə-wəl 

ˈkazh-wəl,

ˈka-zhəl

1

: subject to, resulting from, or occurring by chance

a casual meeting

2

a

: occurring without regularity : occasional

casual employment

b

: employed for irregular periods

a casual worker

c

: met with on occasion and known only superficially

a casual friend

3

a(1)

: feeling or showing little concern : nonchalant

a casual approach to cooking

(2)

: lacking a high degree of interest or devotion

casual sports fans

casual readers

(3)

: done without serious intent or commitment

casual sex

b(1)

: informal, natural

a casual conversation

(2)

: designed for informal use

casual clothing

(3)

: allowing for the wearing of informal clothes

… I had my wedding skirt (yep, skirt—it was a casual wedding) …

—Rory Evans

casual Fridays [=Fridays when employees (as in an office) are allowed to wear casual clothing]

casually adverb

casualness noun

casual

2 of 2

noun

1

: a casual (see casual entry 1 sense 2b) or migratory worker

2

: an officer or enlisted person awaiting assignment or transportation to a unit

Synonyms

Adjective

• everyday
• informal
• workaday

Choose the Right Synonym for casual

accidental, fortuitous, casual, contingent mean not amenable to planning or prediction.

accidental stresses chance.

any resemblance to actual persons is entirely accidental

fortuitous so strongly suggests chance that it often connotes entire absence of cause.

a series of fortuitous events

casual stresses lack of real or apparent premeditation or intent.

a casual encounter with a stranger

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

random, haphazard, casual mean determined by accident rather than design.

random stresses lack of definite aim, fixed goal, or regular procedure.

a random selection of books

haphazard applies to what is done without regard for regularity or fitness or ultimate consequence.

a haphazard collection of rocks

casual suggests working or acting without deliberation, intention, or purpose.

a casual collector

Examples of casual in a Sentence

Adjective

a casual encounter on the sidewalk

The atmosphere at the meeting was quite casual.

He made a casual remark about her shoes.

He's a casual sports fan.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The assault is alleged to have taken place in June at 2 Sisters 4 Brothers Restaurant and Lounge, a casual eatery and dance venue in New York City's East Harlem neighborhood. —Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 3 May 2025

Dress up in the Madewell Linen Maxi Slip Skirt, or keep things casual with the Anthropologie Colette Linen Mini Skirt. —Genevieve Cepeda, Travel + Leisure, 2 May 2025

Noun

Getty Images An easy styling trick for nailing smart casual in the cooler months? —Christian Allaire, Vogue, 21 Mar. 2025

Every year around this time, as college basketball casuals start frantically Googling for Cinderellas, bracket breakdown marathons blanket TV airwaves and CBS’ Seth Davis predicts his fourth double-digit seed to advance to the Sweet 16, an upset favorite begins to emerge. —Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 17 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French casuel, from Late Latin casualis, from Latin casus fall, chance — more at case

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

circa 1852, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing casual

• casual observer
• casual water
• fast casual

Kids Definition

casual

adjective

ca·​su·​al

ˈkazh-(ə-)wəl,

ˈkazh-əl

1

: happening unexpectedly or by chance : not planned or foreseen

a casual meeting

2

: happening without regularity : occasional

casual employment

3

a

: feeling or showing little concern : nonchalant

a casual approach to cooking

b

: designed for ordinary or informal use

casual clothes

casually

-ē

adverb

casualness noun

Legal Definition

casual

adjective

ca·​su·​al

1

a

: not expected or foreseen

b

: not done purposefully : accidental

2

a

: employed for irregular periods

a casual worker

b

: engaging in an activity on an occasional basis

a casual seller