occurrence

noun oc·cur·rence \ ə-ˈkər-ən(t)s , -ˈkə-rən(t)s \

|Updated on: 2 Aug 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: occurrence in a Sentence

Definition of occurrence

1 : something that occurs

a startling occurrence

Lightning is a natural occurrence.

2 : the action or fact of happening or occurring —often used with of

the repeated occurrence of petty theft in the locker room

See occurrence defined for English-language learners

See occurrence defined for kids

Examples of occurrence in a Sentence

Getting headaches has become a common occurrence for her.
the recent occurrences of the disease
Lightning is a natural occurrence.

Recent Examples of occurrence from the Web

This year's nominations, announced Thursday, were a mix of the good, the bad, the surprising and the boring, with the Emmys getting it just a little more right than wrong, a rare occurrence.

— kelly lawler, USA TODAY, "What the 2018 Emmy nominations got right and wrong," 12 July 2018
Chris is the second hurricane to form this month — a relatively rare occurrence for July.

— jason samenow, Washington Post, "Chris strengthens into a hurricane while moving away from the North Carolina coast," 10 July 2018
The Brewers were trailing, 3-2, in the sixth when Ryan Braun reached base on catcher’s interference, a rare occurrence.

— tom haudricourt, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Brewers 12, Phillies 3: Ji-Man Choi's pinch grand slam turns game in Brewers' favor," 9 June 2018
The next month, in a rare occurrence approved by Wolcott, the flag was taken to Memorial Continental Hall, blocks from the White House, displayed, held aloft and photographed for a meeting of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

— richard kurin, Smithsonian, "A Hundred-Year-Old Handmade American Flag Flies Home… to Scotland," 30 Apr. 2018
And in a rare occurrence, even some NRA supporters have voiced opposition to the prohibition.

— the washington post, NOLA.com, "NRA bans guns at Pence speech; Parkland students call it hypocrisy," 30 Apr. 2018
And in a rare occurrence, even some NRA supporters have voiced opposition to the prohibition.

— alex horton, courant.com, "Parkland Students See Hypocrisy In NRA's Ban On Guns At Pence Speech," 30 Apr. 2018
And in a rare occurrence, even some NRA supporters have voiced opposition to the prohibition.

— alex horton, Sun-Sentinel.com, "NRA said guns will be banned during Pence speech. Parkland students see hypocrisy.," 30 Apr. 2018
There's no talk of a coaching change, so players will hear the same voice for the third consecutive season, a rare occurrence for the franchise in this decade.

— jason jones, sacbee, "Why this offseason will be different for the Kings – from the front office on down | The Sacramento Bee," 14 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'occurrence.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of occurrence

1539

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

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occurrence Synonyms

Synonyms

affair, circumstance, episode, event, happening, incident, occasion, thing;

Related Words

coincidence, fluke, freak;

landmark, milepost, milestone, page, phenomenon, turning point;

adventure, experience, time;

happenchance, happenstance;

accident, crisis, emergency, juncture;

achievement, deed, exploit, feat;

news, tidings;

Synonym Discussion of occurrence

occurrence, event, incident, episode, circumstance mean something that happens or takes place. occurrence may apply to a happening without intent, volition, or plan.

- an encounter that was a chance occurrence

event usually implies an occurrence of some importance and frequently one having antecedent cause.

- the events following the assassination

incident suggests an occurrence of brief duration or secondary importance.

- a minor wartime incident

episode stresses the distinctiveness or apartness of an incident.

- a brief romantic episode in a life devoted to work

circumstance implies a specific detail attending an action or event as part of its setting or background.

- couldn't recall the exact circumstances

OCCURRENCE Defined for English Language Learners

occurrence

noun

Definition of occurrence for English Language Learners

: something that happens
: the fact of happening or occurring

OCCURRENCE Defined for Kids

occurrence

noun oc·cur·rence \ ə-ˈkər-əns \

Definition of occurrence for Students

1 : something that happens

Lightning is a natural occurrence.

2 : the action or process of happening There's been a lower occurrence of the disease.

Law Dictionary

occurrence

noun oc·cur·rence

legal Definition of occurrence

: something that takes place; especially : an accident, event, or continuing condition that causes personal or property damage that is unintended or unexpected from the standpoint of an insured party making a claim