1
as in to encounter
to come upon face-to-face or as if face-to-face
chanced upon my archenemy as I rounded a corner
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to find
to come upon unexpectedly or by chance
I chanced upon your mother in the grocery store yesterday
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chance (upon)
Verb
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On the contrary, all the inputs people encounter, by choice or by circumstance—the news reports, the novels, the films, the celebrities, the radio shows, the billboards, the histories, the satires, the amusements, the truths, the lies—tend to end up in the same place.—
Megan Garber,
The Atlantic,
29 Apr. 2025 -
While polar bears are considered a marine mammal and spend most of their life on drifting sea ice, Visit Svalbard advises visitors to be prepared to encounter a polar bear anywhere in Svalbard.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The equity research firm conducted a sample on 50 products and found Amazon prices had risen 4.2% higher on April 25.—
Mike Snider,
USA Today,
2 May 2025
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Legal cases involving Baldwin and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, both charged with manslaughter, ended with Baldwin’s case being dismissed and Gutierrez-Reed found guilty.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
1 May 2025
Verb
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In February 2024, Francis met with the trustees of the University of Notre Dame, a Catholic institution in Indiana.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
22 Apr. 2025
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The Hall of Fame voting panel will meet May 20 in Charlotte and determine the Class of 2026.—
Shane Connuck,
Charlotte Observer,
22 Apr. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Chance (upon).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chance%20%28upon%29. Accessed 6 May. 2025.
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