Synonyms of chance

chance 1 of 3

noun

ˈchan(t)s 

1

as in luck

the uncertain course of events

rather than leave everything to chance, let's plan how we're going to spend our time in New York City

Synonyms & Similar Words

• luck
• circumstance
• accident
• hazard
• casualty
• fate
• hap
• risk
• uncertainty
• randomness
• fortune
• fluke
• fortuity
• danger
• destiny
• fortuitousness
• happenstance
• happenchance
• peril
• haphazardry
• lot
• doom

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• purpose
• intention
• intent
• plan
• design
• scheme
• outline

2

as in opportunity

a favorable combination of circumstances, time, and place

this is my one chance to succeed

Synonyms & Similar Words

• opportunity
• room
• occasion
• opening
• break
• shot
• way
• play
• pass
• juncture

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

• probability
• odds
• percentage
• possibility
• potential
• prospect
• contingency
• outlook
• potentiality
• conditional probability

4

as in venture

a risky undertaking

it's a chance, but I think the business will be profitable

Synonyms & Similar Words

• venture
• gamble
• speculation
• throw
• adventure
• bet
• enterprise
• flutter
• stake
• wager
• hazard
• flier
• crapshoot
• liberty
• play
• long shot
• dark horse

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• sure thing

chance

2 of 3

adjective

as in accidental

happening by chance

a chance advantage that I immediately recognized and made full use of

Synonyms & Similar Words

• accidental
• unexpected
• inadvertent
• fortuitous
• unintended
• incidental
• unwitting
• unplanned
• casual
• unintentional
• odd
• random
• fluky
• unpremeditated
• arbitrary
• coincidental
• unforeseen
• uncertain
• forced
• freak
• desultory
• haphazard
• aimless
• unforeseeable
• involuntary
• unconscious
• coerced
• unprompted

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• intended
• planned
• deliberate
• sure
• intentional
• set
• certain
• calculated
• expected
• inevitable
• destined
• premeditated
• fixed
• foreseeable
• foreseen
• predictable
• knowing
• premeditative
• prepense
• predetermined
• prescribed
• volunteer
• conscious
• voluntary
• predestined
• preordained
• foreordained
• unforced
• willful
• freewill

chance

3 of 3

verb

1

as in to risk

to take a chance on

I don't think we should chance driving in this snowstorm

Synonyms & Similar Words

• risk
• venture
• tempt
• confront
• adventure
• hazard
• gamble (on)
• dare
• face
• run the risk of
• challenge
• jeopardize
• breast
• brave
• compromise
• endanger
• imperil
• subject
• beard
• defy
• menace
• outbrave
• wager
• expose
• brazen
• bet (on)

2

as in to happen

to take place

there chanced to be a beautiful day when we were touring that part of Scotland

Synonyms & Similar Words

• happen
• come
• be
• do
• occur
• pass
• come down
• come about
• cook
• come to pass
• befall
• go down
• come off
• transpire
• go on
• hap
• rise
• develop
• betide
• proceed
• materialize
• result
• intervene
• arise
• come up
• shape (up)
• break
• spring (up)
• follow
• fall out
• crop (up)
• turn out
• go off

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of chance

Noun

Recent polls have shown her with a better chance of winning in the general election in November. — Tamara Keith, NPR, 4 Aug. 2026

Withers, 28, has lately been seizing every opportunity in his path, but the Amazon MGM Studios rom-com represents a chance to show a lighter side. — Daniel D'addario, Variety, 4 Aug. 2026

Verb

Storm chances increase across Central Florida in the afternoon, but coupled with humidity that could bring the heat index, or feels-like temperatures, to as much as 107 degrees, the National Weather Service in Melbourne stated. — Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 July 2026

Or perhaps the initial rightward bias is so weak (and further weakened by the gene variants) that sometimes chance fluctuations give the left side the upper hand. — Quanta Magazine, 13 July 2026

Phrases Containing chance

• chance (upon)