CHANCY Synonyms: 71 Similar and Opposite Words

chancy

adjective

Definition of chancy

as in chance

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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 chancy Actions that seemed foolhardy when Rue was younger now come off as merely chancy, with Zendaya imparting enough hard-knock experience to pull off bigger swings. — Carla Meyer, San Francisco Chronicle, 8 Apr. 2026 Most storms occur in the summer months when the subtropical climate is at its most humid, making August’s Perseid meteor shower a chancier time to visit. — Sheeka Sanahori, Outside, 11 Nov. 2025 Lifelong recommendations based on studies of roughly 50 patients and for no longer than three months seem a bit chancy. — WSJ, 13 Sep. 2018 In a curious twist, Gunderson takes the story in an extremely chancy direction during the show’s final minutes. — David Lyman, Cincinnati.com, 14 Apr. 2018 In the 4500 block of Connecticut Avenue NW, Jeff Lucas watched a driver plow through the brown and turbulent waters in what had momentarily seemed to be a chancy undertaking. — Martin Weil, Washington Post, 18 Aug. 2017 Steve Jobs was making what was at the time an extraordinarily chancy wager. — Edward C. Baig, USA TODAY, 23 June 2017 George Washington's chancy nighttime retreat from Brooklyn to Manhattan was a kind of Colonial-era Dunkirk. — Benedict Cosgrove, Smithsonian, 13 Mar. 2017

Recent Examples of Synonyms for chancy

Adjective

There’s something fortuitous about a bird of prey being the first one tracked by the Orlando location.

— Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 June 2026
There was a fortuitous incident in high school that substantially upgraded Becerra’s higher education and undoubtedly his career.

— George Skelton, Mercury News, 10 June 2026

Definition of fortuitous

Adjective

And of how even the most unified filmography can be the result of completely haphazard circumstances.

— Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 14 July 2026
The seemingly haphazard approach to regulating new model releases has led to widespread calls from the AI industry for more consistent regulation.

— Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 14 July 2026

Definition of haphazard

Adjective

The maximalist space is filled with art pieces big and small — drawings taped up, random plant pots and street signs, scrap-metal sculptures and realist paintings.

— Sophie Lindberg, Kansas City Star, 17 July 2026
Amid the random parts stitched together to fill 10 half-hour episodes (which are actually 30 minutes or less, thank God), there are intriguing patterns.

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 July 2026

Definition of random

Adjective

Fire officials deemed the fire accidental after determining that the family dog, Bo, jumped onto the kitchen counter and turned on the toaster, which ignited nearby combustibles.

— Adam Thompson, CBS News, 14 July 2026
Its lightweight, compliant structure makes accidental contact with people, pets and furniture far safer than conventional drones.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 13 July 2026

Definition of accidental

Adjective

Only a few minutes earlier, Abulaila endured an inadvertent slap to his throat by Arnautovic on a pass into the box.

— Cam Inman, Mercury News, 17 June 2026
Often, high achievers can get separated from the group, which creates an inadvertent spirit of isolationism, separating them from their peers and thereby creating an us-versus-them mentality.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 16 June 2026

Definition of inadvertent

Adjective

American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases.

— Jason Stauffer, CNBC, 13 July 2026
The contact between Balogun and the Bosnian player was clearly incidental, with both going for the ball, leading to the awkward foot placement.

— Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 July 2026

Definition of incidental

Adjective

After being randomly selected through an online registration and raffle, only a select few of the luckiest of fans were granted entry to the event.

— Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 15 July 2026
The 50 walleyes also have yellow tags with contact information, just in case they are caught by a lucky angler.

— Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 14 July 2026

Definition of lucky

Adjective

And Comanche 3 has experienced more than 40 unplanned outages due to mechanical issues; the most recent one has lasted about a year.

— Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 13 July 2026
Judd Apatow’s hit 2007 comedy about an unplanned pregnancy leading to unexpected romance almost had a different leading lady.

— Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 7 July 2026