chance 1 of 3

Definition of chancenext
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
Ryan McLeod and Konsta Helenius both got a chance to skate with Thompson and Tuch. Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 15 May 2026 Forecasters said winds are expected to peak Sunday, when there is a 65% to 95% chance that gusts will exceed 40 mph. Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 15 May 2026
Verb
Neon, which has won the Palme d’Or for a record-breaking six consecutive times, is leaving little to chance. Brent Lang, Variety, 11 May 2026 The cloudy skies will gradually turn just partly cloudy, as rain chances ease to 70%. Roberto Villalpando, Houston Chronicle, 1 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for chance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chance
Noun
  • The bottom line Getting more eyes on your job listing isn't about luck or waiting for the right candidate to stumble across your post.
    Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 18 May 2026
  • The other says luck, crush and confusion.
    Kate Hardcastle, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
Noun
  • For players, the most maddening moment came early in the third when Guerin was called for high-sticking, giving New York a prime man-advantage opportunity to tie the score.
    Vincent Z. Mercogliano, New York Times, 21 May 2026
  • Bachman retired the side in order in the eighth, but Kirby Yates couldn’t convert his first save opportunity for the Angels, as McNeil led off the ninth by curling his second homer inside the right-field foul pole, tying the score at 5.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 2026
Noun
  • But last summer Antoine Song, a mathematician at the California Institute of Technology, found a way to translate the question into the language of probability theory.
    Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 19 May 2026
  • Forecasters predicted storms in the area have a high probability to produce tornadoes and severe wind, the weather service said.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 19 May 2026
Noun
  • The project is also a big venture for Blink49 Studios, the banner founded in 2021 by international TV veteran Morayniss, an alum of Entertainment One and Alliance Atlantis.
    Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 18 May 2026
  • The donors are a who’s who of tech leaders, venture capitalists and other leaders in the gig, gaming, digital media and AI defense fields.
    Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026
Adjective
  • Acrasia wears a face crafted by history and time, but Phalene wears a face crafted by Acrasia, who is a significantly less accidental artist than history.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 May 2026
  • Warranties typically exclude routine maintenance, wear and tear, and accidental damage.
    Charlotte Maracina, USA Today, 20 May 2026
Verb
  • Dolezal's remarks also follow criticism from voting rights advocates and Democratic activists who argue that reopening scrutiny around the New Georgia Project risks reinforcing distrust among Black voters and civic action groups.
    Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 20 May 2026
  • In Nvidia specifically, two large short-put trades were executed just above the current price, risking over $75m yesterday, signaling that institutional investors may view the $220-225 area as a post-earnings support zone.
    Tony Zhang, CNBC, 20 May 2026
Verb
  • Little happens other than chain-smoking, costume changes and interminable shots of color-shifting strobe lighting splaying across the cast’s cheekbones.
    Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 19 May 2026
  • Last July, when Colbert announced the end of the Late Show franchise on CBS, many wondered what happens when shows that function as cultural town squares begin to disappear?
    Dana Taylor, USA Today, 19 May 2026
Noun
  • The argument for keeping an underperforming manager tends to centre on whether there were enough mitigating circumstances behind a bad season, and whether the club can use their summer to make the correct changes in player recruitment and wider infrastructure to fix things.
    Carl Anka, New York Times, 17 May 2026
  • Each time, the circumstances of the test change.
    Deborah Treisman, New Yorker, 17 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Chance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chance. Accessed 22 May. 2026.

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