occurrence

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

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

It being expected, though, didn’t do much to lessen the surprise at its occurrence.

— philip bump, Washington Post, "If he’ll pardon Arpaio, why wouldn’t Trump pardon those who ignore Robert Mueller?," 25 Aug. 2017
An intimate karaoke session with President Obama and Kanye West is one rare occurrence.

— erica gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "Kim Kardashian and Barack Obama Once Did Karaoke Together," 18 Aug. 2017
Those are freak occurrences, sure, and Bevacqua said the PGA Championship will be played later in the month, the third or fourth week in May.

— nancy armour, The Courier-Journal, "Moving PGA Championship is right move for everyone not in the Midwest," 8 Aug. 2017
For about two decades, the occurrence has been celebrated in an annual festival that features a parade and a street carnival.

— kirk semple, New York Times, "Every Year, the Sky ‘Rains Fish.’ Explanations Vary.," 16 July 2017
More than a year ago, Lees, 47, began to experience a repetitive stress injury, a common occurrence for musicians who play hours each day for many years.

— janelle gelfand, Cincinnati.com, "CSO's Timothy Lees bows out of European tour," 14 July 2017
But as compared to some other Westerosi religions, the Faith remains firmly rooted in the minds of humans — there have been no supernatural occurrences involving the Seven, or any indication that there’s some prophecy about to come true.

— eliza thompson, Cosmopolitan, "A Guide to the Many Religions on Game of Thrones," 13 July 2017
A compilation of several computer model runs has rainfall totals across the Chicago area ranging from 1 inch to in excess of 3 inches, depending on storm tracks and the natural variation in the occurrence of mid-July showers and thunderstorms.

— tom skilling, chicagotribune.com, "Heat, humidity to return in Chicago, with storms possible," 8 July 2017
Over the weekend, Sweden's largest music festival, Bråvalla, was the site of four rapes and 23 sexual assaults, according to police reports — a horrifying occurrence that has caused next year's edition of the festival to be cancelled.

— sandra song, Teen Vogue, "Festival Rape Culture Will Not Be Solved By Sweden's Women-Only Music Festival," 6 July 2017

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

occurrence Synonyms

Synonyms

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

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