CHANCES Synonyms: 115 Similar and Opposite Words

chances 1 of 2

noun

plural of chance

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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in opportunities

a favorable combination of circumstances, time, and place this is my one chance to succeed

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

as in gambles

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sure things

chances

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of chance

as in risks

to take a chance on I don't think we should chance driving in this snowstorm

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in happens

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Manchester City’s back-to-the-walls defensive display in their 1-0 victory in the Manchester derby on Sunday presented the former, while Manchester United’s inability to create chances against 10 men embodied the latter. — Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026 Because there is a correlation between the price of Brent crude futures and Polymarket’s rating of the Democratic Party’s chances, according to Deutsche Bank. — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2026 Two chances to stand in front of 90,000 people and say the words that somehow became too dangerous to say. — Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 14 Sep. 2026 Trying for his first five-out save since 2024, Muñoz (5-6) blew a save for the 10th time in 37 chances. — ABC News, 13 Sep. 2026 The eastward shift increased the chances of hurricane-force wind gusts on Niihau and possibly Kauai, especially at higher elevations, the hurricane center warned. — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2026

Verb

Rain chances rise to 30% in DFW and increase to 40% by Thursday night. — Michael Autovino, CBS News, 10 Sep. 2026 And over the weekend, when rain chances spike to 80% chance in Miami-Dade and Broward, according to the National Weather Service in Miami. — Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2026 Rain chances in Central Florida climb to 80% on Labor Day with temperatures in the 90s, according to the National Weather Service in Melbourne. — Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Sep. 2026 Rain chances along the storm's path remain over 60% on Wednesday, according to weather service forecasts. — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026 Super-sized conferences have created a world in which the league opponents a team plays — and doesn’t play — during the regular season can be a major factor in that team’s College Football Playoff chances. — Scott Dochterman, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026 Rain chances return to the region late Sunday into Monday morning, the weather service said. — Kansas City Star, 21 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for chances

Noun

The prospects who are performing well enough to expect a September call-up in a normal season, like Parks Harber, might be out of luck.

— Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
The big one, of course, is that NASCAR created a new playoff format meant to erase luck.

— Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of luck

Noun

Many believe that the reason the good opportunities have seemingly disappeared is because the market is too crowded.

— Justin Donald, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
For this reason, PhotoVogue remains committed to creating a more inclusive global community, providing artists with concrete and free opportunities to develop their creative vision and professional paths.

— Rica Cerbarano, Vogue, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of opportunities

Noun

Congress has a role to play, too, by balancing the censuring of officials whose risks don’t pay off with awards for those who take heroic gambles for the right reasons.

— Doug Beck, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
But getting to this point required one of the Civil War’s most famous naval gambles.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of gambles

Verb

Ukraine’s former defense minister is launching a military tech company backed by Palantir CEO Alex Karp, a decision that risks alienating Kyiv’s European backers.

— Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 3 Sep. 2026
Such an operation risks the significant loss of American life, huge costs to Iranian civilians, and disorder across the entire region.

— JAMES F. JEFFREY, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of risks

Verb

The wave nature of an atom shows itself only when the atom is barely moving, which only happens when it is cooled down to nearly absolute zero.

— Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2026
So, do not assume that what usually happens at your location during El Niño will happen this time.

— Steven Paton, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of happens

Noun

There are legitimate circumstances in which content may be corrected, challenged or removed.

— Scott Keever, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Seat belt use may be considered as part of the broader circumstances surrounding a collision, but general danger is not evidence that this particular crash produced a worse fracture pattern or a worse spinal finding than a belt would have.

— Kaitlyn Gomez, Miami Herald, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of circumstances

Noun

The letter points to specific statements from Larry Ellison, and Oracle executives, describing their surveillance and artificial-intelligence technological ventures and their positive relationship with Israel.

— Andrew Lapin, Sun Sentinel, 8 Sep. 2026
Other robotaxi providers, like WeRide and Baidu, are also pushing abroad with new ventures in Southeast Asia and Europe.

— Anjali Tsui, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2026