chances 1 of 2

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in probabilities
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

chances

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of chance

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 chances
Noun
Aggie Beever-Jones fluffed her lines on multiple chances, failing to connect with a through ball from Keira Walsh and only weakly meeting a cutback from Sjoeke Nusken. Cerys Jones, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025 Signing up early and checking frequently increases your chances of securing a spot. Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Oct. 2025 According to Senate President Ty Masterson, the redistricting blitz would in no way jeopardize the state’s chances of landing a stadium megaproject before the end of the year. Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2025 SpaceX took steps to minimize the chances that the problem would recur on Flight 8. Mike Wall, Space.com, 14 Oct. 2025 With Knight looking sharp and stonewalling several promising scoring chances, Boqvist delivered his fourth game-winning goal since signing with the Panthers before last season and ninth of his career. Andre Fernandez, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
The festival holds a Conservation Village on site for educational and service-based activations like a virtual shark dive, a trash-drop-off site in exchange for potential prizes, and chances to learn about eco-friendly brands. Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2025 There's some decent rain chances the rest of the week, so keep an umbrella handy. Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 15 Oct. 2025 Friday storm chances A cold front is expected to make its way into Kansas City Friday, bringing with it a chance for showers and thunderstorms, according to the National Weather Service. Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 14 Oct. 2025 Rain chances linger for much of the area overnight tonight before tapering off tomorrow afternoon, but any accumulations are expected to be light. Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025 Cloudy, gray weather is expected to persist Thursday, even as the last of the rain chances for these two systems evaporate, Murdock said. Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 30 Sep. 2025 But Denver bungled five — five — chances to extend their lead to two scores in the second half after taking resounding control of the game in the second half. Luca Evans, Denver Post, 22 Sep. 2025 Daily rain chances on the horizon An active weather patten is to thank and/or blame for the daily rain chances. Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Sep. 2025 Thunderstorms chances drop on Thursday through the weekend (chances at 5% or below). Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chances
Noun
  • But procrastinators or the more spontaneous among us might not be out of luck if you.
    Karla Walsh, Southern Living, 15 Oct. 2025
  • SpaceX’s luck appears to be turning, as the company notched a second straight successful test flight of the Starship launch system — the most powerful rocket ever constructed — on Monday evening.
    Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • One entrepreneur pitched the idea of a small-business liaison or task force that could answer questions and alert business owners to resources, grants and other opportunities.
    Mars King, Twin Cities, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Ohtani seeing more lefties set up more opportunities for the right-handed hitters behind him.
    Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • While most of these asteroids pose little threat, understanding their trajectories is crucial for assessing potential impact probabilities.
    Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 8 Oct. 2025
  • Here’s a brief overview of what to know and what to expect on screen, plus championship odds and MVP probabilities.
    Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Since leaving the British royal family in 2020 and stepping down from their roles as senior members of The Firm, Harry and Meghan have faced backlash for their media ventures and transition into Hollywood, with many criticizing the couple’s lack of views on their Netflix content.
    Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 12 Oct. 2025
  • The deal is part of a broader UK–Ukraine 100 Year Partnership, promoting co-development, joint ventures, and defence export collaboration.
    Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 11 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Nothing fancy, nothing that risks wilting in the crisper.
    Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 14 Oct. 2025
  • The Russian economy risks over-heating.
    Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • What happens in-house should be protected, and none of that should have gotten out.
    Saad Yousuf, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
  • And once that happens, the risks do not stay confined to one company.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Immigration agents do have authority to detain Americans in limited circumstances.
    Nicole Foy, ProPublica, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Our students have different backgrounds, abilities, and socio-economic circumstances.
    Grace Tucker, Cincinnati Enquirer, 18 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Superman proved to fire off the new DC under chiefs James Gunn and Peter Safran, while the original gambles that Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy have made at the larger Warner Bros Motion Picture Group with Sinners and F1, as well as new IP A Minecraft Movie, have been smashing successes.
    Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 26 Sep. 2025
  • As awards season progresses, the success or failure of these strategic gambles will likely influence how future romantic dramas approach their campaigns, potentially reshaping decades of precedent in favor of more aggressive positioning strategies.
    Clayton Davis, Variety, 25 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Chances.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chances. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.

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