1
as in encountering
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 finding
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 chancing (upon)
Verb
-
The Vatican has made clear that Catholic social teaching disapproves of the types of authoritarian leaders that Leo is encountering on his visit, the first to the continent by history's first American pope.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Apr. 2026 -
For anyone just encountering her name, here’s what to know.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The whole thing was a sign that the college is still finding its footing.—
Emma Green,
New Yorker,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Throughout the renovation, approximately 90% of furniture, mattresses, lighting and artwork from previous guestrooms were resold and diverted from landfills, finding new homes across the United States.—
Jessica Alvarado Gamez,
Denver Post,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Upon arriving, Harry, 41, and Meghan, 44, spent time at Bondi Beach, meeting volunteer first responders from the Bondi Surf Bathers' Life Saving Club in Sydney.—
Helen Murphy,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Lula and Sánchez, along with ministers from their cabinets, are meeting at a former royal palace in Barcelona on Friday when they are expected to sign agreements regarding their economies, technology and social policies.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Chancing (upon).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chancing%20%28upon%29. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
