Definition of occasion
1 : a favorable opportunity or circumstance did not have occasion to talk with them
2a : a state of affairs that provides a ground or reason The occasion of the discord was their mutual intolerance.b : an occurrence or condition that brings something about; especially : the immediate inciting circumstance as distinguished from the fundamental cause His insulting remark was the occasion of a bitter quarrel.
3a : happening, incident Everybody has been terribly kind since my recent sad occasion. — Thomas Kellyb : a time at which something happens : instance on the occasion of his daughter's wedding
4a : a need arising from a particular circumstance knowledge for which he will never have any occasion — C. H. Grandgentb archaic : a personal want or need —usually used in plural
5 occasions plural : affairs, business minded his own occasions and was content for other folk to mind theirs — S. H. Adams
6 : a special event or ceremony : celebration birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions
on occasion
: from time to time He lives in the country, though he visits the city on occasion.
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Examples of occasion in a Sentence
When versatility is fashion's best justification, the idea of a beautiful lace blouse or dress that can step up to a special occasion and then look just as good under a man-tailored jacket or a fine-gauge long-line cardigan the next day is persuasive. —S. Mower, Vogue, September 2008
On several occasions, people have observed dark, kilometer-wide bands on the ocean surface as tsunamis approached or passed by … —S. Perkins, Science News, 21 Feb. 2004
Not so long ago, Rolling Stone's David Fricke asked the late Kurt Cobain whom he admired among “established” rock bands. Cobain unhesitatingly named R.E.M., using the occasion to send the band members a virtual mash note for remaining true to their muse and to themselves and for refusing to be swayed by the shifting winds of fashion and commerciality. —Robert Palmer, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 1994
To publish a definitive collection of short stories in one's late 60s seems to me, as an American writer, a traditional and a dignified occasion, eclipsed in no way by the fact that a great many of the stories in my current collection were written in my underwear. —John Cheever, in Ann Charters, The Story and Its Writer, 1987
birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions
They marked the occasion with their families.
She wrote a song especially for the occasion.
Roses are the perfect flower for any occasion.
On the occasion of their 25th wedding anniversary, they took a vacation to Paris.
We had occasion to watch her perform last summer.
The boys never had occasion to meet each other.
She never found an occasion to suggest her ideas.
He took the occasion to make an announcement.
Recent Examples of occasion from the Web
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What's your style philosophy or motto: Know the occasion.
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And that makes sense because there are really two top hats hanging around City Hall for just such an occasion.
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The Royal & Ancient turned it into a show on Monday, with the British Open encouraging 500 fans to fill the grandstand around the first tee to witness the occasion.
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To honor the momentous occasion of Daenerys’s arrival, Weiss and David Benioff decided less was more.
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Tiffany Thompson filed a police report that included allegations of domestic violence by Elliott on five separate occasions from July 17 to July 22.
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These food bloggers and Instagrammers created their perfect spins on snacking and celebratory meals to inspire your next unofficial feast—no matter what the occasion.
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Cleveland's last swing bridge provides the occasion to talk about the Bridge War of 1836 between settlers in Cleveland and Ohio City, which was then its own city, incorporated before Cleveland in 1836.
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Aunt Kylie turns to Twitter to celebrate the joyous occasion.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'occasion.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Definition of occasion
occasioned
;occasioning
play \ə-ˈkāzh-niŋ, -ˈkā-zhə-\transitive verb
: bring about, cause
Examples of occasion in a Sentence
It was that desire that occasioned a trip to Berlin this spring: a desire to wander through the city's arty demimonde and to eat beside its residents … —Sam Sifton, New York Times, 22 June 2008
“I made bow ties,” Sally says very assuredly, after the long silence occasioned by my unwanted kiss, during which we both realized we are not about to head upstairs for any fun. —Richard Ford, Independence Day, 1996
the announcement concerning the change in scheduling occasioned much confusion
Recent Examples of occasion from the Web
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The removals occasioned threats, protests, and celebrations.
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It was occasioned by Kennedy’s having reached an agreement on the limited nuclear-test-ban treaty with the Soviets, on July 25th.
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And if you're tempted to buy into the Schwarber-for-a-pitcher narrative occasioned by his sluggish start, read the recent Sports Illustrated piece on the Schwarber-Zielinski relationship.
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The vituperation was occasioned by the HFC’s role rescuing Republicans from embracing an unpopular first draft of legislation to replace Obamacare.
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Yet his 12-volume edition, bursting with supernatural elements, would become a seminal work of literature, one that has consumed imaginations worldwide, occasioned countless translations, imitations, adaptations and...
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Too bad if the 911 calls were occasioned by domestic violence or, in one case Desmond recounts, a child’s asthma attack.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'occasion.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of occasion
see 1occasion
OCCASION Defined for English Language Learners
occasion
playDefinition of occasion for English Language Learners
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: a special event or time
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: a particular time when something happens
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: a chance or opportunity : a situation that allows something to happen
OCCASION Defined for Kids
Definition of occasion for Students
1 : a special event The banquet was an elegant occasion.
2 : the time of an event This has happened on more than one occasion.
3 : a suitable opportunity : a good chance Take the first occasion to write.
Definition of occasion for Students
occasioned
;occasioning
: to bring about … I found the point of the rocks which occasioned this disaster … — Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe
Learn More about occasion
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See words that rhyme with occasion Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for occasion Spanish Central: Translation of occasion Nglish: Translation of occasion for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of occasion for Arabic speakers
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