chance 1 of 3

1
2
as in opportunity
a favorable combination of circumstances, time, and place this is my one chance to succeed

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in probability
a measure of how often an event will occur instead of another the chance of being struck by lightning is very low

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
as in venture
a risky undertaking it's a chance, but I think the business will be profitable

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

chance

2 of 3

adjective

chance

3 of 3

verb

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of chance
Noun
Her maternal instinct duly soothed and her savior complex fulfilled, Laura is ready to give Cherry a chance. Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025 Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve could’ve wanted to use the regular season finale as a chance to get others more minutes and allow her stars some rest just days before the postseason begins. Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
From conviction to chance at release The Menendez brothers were sentenced in 1996 to life without the possibility of parole for the 1989 killings of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in the family’s Beverly Hills mansion. Stepheny Price , Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2025 Our message to New Yorkers, however, is simple: don’t leave your legacy to chance. Marco Villegas, New York Daily News, 11 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for chance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chance
Noun
  • With any luck, it will someday be reversed, like other famous examples of Supreme Court decisions that reflected prejudice against African-Americans, Japanese-Americans, and others.
    Noah Feldman, Mercury News, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Rather than hang out with the two old hags, Cherry decides to try her luck on the stand-up paddleboards with Brigitte and Daniel, but quickly loses her balance.
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • For instance, when the Martins were broke, before Christy gained the attention of legendary boxing promoter Don King, Jim, played on screen in a terrifying performance by Ben Foster, would take her to motel rooms to spar with men who would pay for the opportunity.
    Esther Zuckerman, Time, 6 Sep. 2025
  • More tackles and fouls will naturally occur in games where the team has less of the ball, with more opportunities to make those defensive actions.
    Mark Carey, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The probability of lightning strikes rises as a thunderstorm approaches and peaks when the storm is directly above.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 5 Sep. 2025
  • The probability of lightning strikes rises as a thunderstorm approaches and peaks when the storm is directly above.
    KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Unsurprisingly, David Sacks, a venture capitalist serving as the White House’s crypto and AI czar, is expected to be at the event.
    Dylan Butts, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2025
  • A lot of the chummy discussion involved Malone and the other execs reminiscing about their past deals and ventures.
    Todd Spangler, Variety, 4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Police determined the injury was accidental and not child abuse.
    Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The sound does much of the work in action sequences obscured by blinding snowstorms and flashing emergency lights, punctuated by creative acts of accidental self-harm that save our protagonists from certain death more than once.
    Katie Rife, IndieWire, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Civil liberties campaigners across Britain and beyond swiftly condemned the designation, warning that applying terrorism laws to such a group risks chilling free speech and assembly, while also setting a dangerous precedent for protest rights.
    Kara Fox, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025
  • With the country leaning in a Republican direction, donors could be less apt to risk donating to Biden.
    Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 6 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The other end of the spectrum are breaks that happen when a single application of force is applied to the bone.
    Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • What is happening with auto loan defaults?
    Betty Lin-Fisher, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • And the aforementioned circumstances at wide receiver don’t help that cause.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 6 Sep. 2025
  • The agency's rule, narrowly approved by the commission along party lines in April 2024, would have invalidated nearly all existing noncompetes and banned new ones except in rare circumstances.
    Andrea Hsu, NPR, 5 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Chance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chance. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.

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