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
For Iranian art lovers, the reopening brought an escape from the anxiety of war and a chance to reconnect with culture. ABC News, 8 May 2026 Edwards explained that the role gave her a chance to dive into the complexity of all sorts of intense emotions overlapping. Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 8 May 2026
Verb
Early Apollo probabilistic assessments put loss-of-crew (LOC) chances around 1 in 10 for lunar missions. Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 15 Apr. 2026 While rain chances linger and skies may stay mostly cloudy, temperatures will rebound into the mid-70s. Kansas City Star, 10 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for chance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chance
Noun
  • The Moon in your sign trines Jupiter in Cancer early, amplifying charm, confidence, and creative luck.
    Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 May 2026
  • After a long season of losing, and perhaps some tanking, the teams’ fate comes down to … luck, the bounce of a ball.
    Andrew Greif, NBC news, 11 May 2026
Noun
  • According to the site’s founder, Marile Borden, this branding opportunity reflected a newfound honesty among women about the frazzling demands of motherhood.
    Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 7 May 2026
  • Maxey drew attention, made the right reads and helped the 76ers take advantage of the 4-on-3 opportunities that came when the Knicks blitzed him.
    C.J. Holmes, New York Daily News, 7 May 2026
Noun
  • Personalized treatments could help the field move beyond symptom suppression and toward functional remission, optimizing the probability of therapeutic success and eventually evolving into improved prevention.
    Eric J. Nestler, STAT, 28 Apr. 2026
  • The probability of lightning strikes rises as a thunderstorm approaches and peaks when the storm is directly above.
    STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • As a business venture, BravesVision has started well, according to the reports given on a quarterly earnings call for Atlanta Braves Holdings on Monday morning.
    Ken Sugiura, AJC.com, 11 May 2026
  • Shirazi studied finance and real estate at Marquette University, combining that academic grounding with hands-on experience across sales, operations, and new venture development.
    Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 11 May 2026
Adjective
  • Forensic investigators will determine whether the shooting was on purpose or accidental, police said.
    Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 6 May 2026
  • Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy didn't buy the scene as accidental.
    Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 May 2026
Verb
  • Assuming enough people are willing to risk millions to produce them.
    Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026
  • The words also honor the spirit of immigrants—those who risk everything for hope, opportunity, and a chance to belong.
    Time, Time, 6 May 2026
Verb
  • When the February attack happened, the pair were engaged in nuclear discussions.
    Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 12 May 2026
  • This happened with the shooting at NFL headquarters in New York City, when Charlie Kirk was assassinated, and to a lesser extent, with the recent incident at the White House Correspondents dinner.
    Lorena O’Neil, Rolling Stone, 11 May 2026
Noun
  • Under certain circumstances, which were not identified, the system will initiate a reset in an attempt to improve performance.
    Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 9 May 2026
  • The series having three games in four nights has been taxing on both teams, but neither is dwelling on their circumstances compared to Boston and Ottawa’s six days off between games.
    Staff Report, Twin Cities, 9 May 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Chance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chance. Accessed 12 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on chance

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster