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

When such a fortuitous alignment occurs, amateur astronomers can discern things about the asteroid that professionals can’t readily measure, even with their giant telescopes on high mountains.

— David Schneider, IEEE Spectrum, 24 Sep. 2026
The timing proved fortuitous as The Spread sparked a lot of interest that translated into meetings and ultimately offers.

— Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of fortuitous

Adjective

Violent crime, once almost unknown on the island, is rising sharply—another sign of the state’s haphazard retreat.

— Will Freeman, Foreign Affairs, 17 Sep. 2026
With no clear guidance, haphazard and improvised efforts by companies to clean the homes left 6 in 10 residences still unsafe.

— Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of haphazard

Adjective

At Aventura concerts, random concert goers are often brought to the stage to perform the Don Omar part.

— Lars Brandle, Billboard, 1 Oct. 2026
Sign up for our weekly newsletter Proof Positive How does a coherent structure emerge from many small random occurrences?

— Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of random

Adjective

Healthcare workers will often wear personal protective equipment, such as an N95 mask, or even a full body suit in case of accidental exposure.

— Erika Edwards, NBC news, 5 Oct. 2026
His death at 33 was ruled accidental, but rumors persist drugs played a role.

— Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of accidental

Adjective

Stewart recalls the whirlwind five-game series that included the star breaking teammate Sue Bird’s nose with an inadvertent elbow and game-altering clutch baskets by Taurasi.

— Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 3 Oct. 2026
The referees called a play dead over an inadvertent whistle that set up another third-down play.

— Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of inadvertent

Adjective

The insects also develop in quince and are reported to be incidental in plums, pears, tart cherries, and certain other members of the rose family.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Sep. 2026
In one of these journals, called Notebook B, there is an incidental sketch, a few scratched lines like the barren twigs of a winter tree.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of incidental

Adjective

With them, a student can reason about tradeoffs, the future and the difference between a sound decision and a lucky one.

— Michael Poore Special to the Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 1 Oct. 2026
Bring a suit for a dip off the rocks, or be among the lucky few to score a dinner reservation or one of the five small, but cozy sea-facing rooms.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of lucky

Adjective

Those insights are particularly useful if your revenue fluctuates from month to month or if you’re hit with an unplanned expense.

— Carson Brunson, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026
That was an unplanned withdrawal spurred by the new Syrian government’s push against the United States' Syrian Kurdish partners.

— Luis Martinez, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of unplanned

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“Chancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chancy. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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adjective

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