casual

1 of 2

adjective

ca·​su·​al ˈkazh-wəl How to pronounce casual (audio)
ˈka-zhə-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
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
Each woman wore a casual flowy dress that was fit for a relaxing day on Beyoncé’s father Matthew Knowles yacht. Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 22 Mar. 2024 Keep things casual with a basket planter or go all out with porcelain blue and white. Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 22 Mar. 2024 Jar of Flies was recorded in a week as a casual sequel to the band’s first acoustic EP, 1992’s Sap, without lofty commercial expectations to become a proper follow-up to Dirt. Spin Contributor, SPIN, 22 Mar. 2024 On Saturday, the Sun reported that Catherine was spotted in public for the first time since December, taking a casual shopping trip about a mile from her Adelaide Cottage home . Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024 Catamarans tend to be associated with casual coastal cruising rather than lengthy transoceanic expeditions, but Cristiano Mariani of CMA could help change that. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 21 Mar. 2024 Benioff, Weiss and Woo took a book trilogy known more for its thought experiments in philosophy and theoretical physics than its plot and made a solid bit of hard sci-fi that is (mostly) accessible to more casual fans of the genre. Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2024 Jake’s parents sported dressy casual looks for the occasion, with his father donning a long blue jacket, jeans, and a black sweater. Lawrence Yee, Peoplemag, 20 Mar. 2024 There are also plenty of dining options, with 13 in-house restaurants, from casual poolside service to the intimate chef’s table at Seahorse Grille. Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 20 Mar. 2024
Noun
And true Sharks fans and casuals alike deserve better than this dredge. Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 12 Mar. 2024 Red Dog: Red Dog Casino is the best option for new players, casuals, or budget-conscious gamers. Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024 Last week, my colleague Daniel Rodgers commented on her sudden pivot to smart casual off the back of a pair of chinos. Alice Newbold, Vogue, 31 Jan. 2024 The living room opens onto two dining rooms — one formal and one casual — and a two-tone gourmet kitchen with high-end appliances. Cynthia Billhartz Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 31 Jan. 2024 On Peak 8, this is a solid go-to for great views and a more relaxed atmosphere for your casual après in Breckenridge. Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 15 Dec. 2023 Both wore black jeans, Mr. Altman in an army-green shirt and Mr. Nadella in navy casual. Karen Weise, New York Times, 20 Nov. 2023 How to Create a Traditional Casual Style for Your Home Traditional casual is a perfect mix of form and function. Maggie Gillette, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Oct. 2023 On the other end of the spectrum, postings specifying ‘business casual’ and ‘smart casual’ have continually declined since 2020. Byeleanor Pringle, Fortune, 6 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'casual.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of casual was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near casual

Cite this Entry

“Casual.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/casual. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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
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

More from Merriam-Webster on casual

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