occasion 1 of 2

Definition of occasionnext
1
as in time
a particular point at which an event takes place on that occasion, I didn't actually meet your father

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2
as in opportunity
a favorable combination of circumstances, time, and place the substitute violinist rose to the occasion and performed the piece beautifully

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
4

occasion

2 of 2

verb

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 occasion
Noun
Bream and Bill Hemmer have on occasion provided breaking-news coverage or coverage of important national events like the annual State of the Union speech for Fox stations as well. Brian Steinberg, Variety, 10 Feb. 2026 But the practice with Boston’s G League affiliate, which traveled down from Portland for the occasion, was Tatum’s most significant step yet in his ongoing recovery from a ruptured Achilles tendon. Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
But with wind, only the effects of its occurrence are ever visible — the ripples on the river water, the waving motion of tree branches, the dust devils rising up from the sides of a desert dune, the dishevelment of clothes occasioned by a particularly violent gust. Big Think, 18 Nov. 2025 She was charged with dangerous driving occasioning death, fail to stop and assist after vehicle impact causing death and driving a motor vehicle with a disqualified license, stated the NSW release. Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for occasion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for occasion
Noun
  • This long-term approach allowed scientists to account for changes in coffee and tea consumption over time, while monitoring for both clinical dementia diagnoses and subtle shifts in cognitive function.
    Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Over time, Warren began to incorporate other martial arts disciplines like Judo and Aikido to teach his students to be well-rounded enough to react to any situation.
    Everett Eaton, jsonline.com, 10 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • This orbit allowed the spacecraft to pass behind Jupiter relative to Earth, creating a rare opportunity to study how the planet’s atmosphere bends radio signals.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 5 Feb. 2026
  • China is seizing an opportunity to challenge American dominance in global finance and exert greater international influence at the expense of the all-powerful US dollar.
    Stephanie Yang, CNN Money, 4 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Building and Inspections is now waiting for a report from the property owner’s structural engineer regarding the cause of the collapse.
    Gillian Stawiszynski, Cincinnati Enquirer, 7 Feb. 2026
  • The cause of the wreck was not clear, but police were investigating.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The event will, in particular, monitor several metrics, including motion control, dynamic balance, and impact resistance.
    Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Both mishaps were unfortunate events as medals have been hard to come by through the early days of the Winter Olympics.
    Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Shock Treatment Next week will also bring a fresh set of numbers from some of the biggest players in the European healthcare space, namely pharma giant AstraZeneca and Philips.
    Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 8 Feb. 2026
  • The biggest event in sports has arrived, and the NFL’s final game of the season brought the biggest names in the sport to the West Coast this week.
    J.J. Bailey, New York Times, 8 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • And while their steamy, sweaty dalliances are hot and heavy (albeit mostly clothed), most swoonworthy are the smaller moments, like Heathcliff gently cupping his hands to keep the rain out of Cathy’s eyes.
    Brian Truitt, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Writing is taking moments in time and recording them.
    Daisy Jones, Vogue, 10 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Forest carved out chances of their own — former Forest goalkeeper Karl Darlow made impressive saves to keep out Nico Dominguez, Igor Jesus, Morgan Gibbs-White, and, towards the end, Ibrahim Sangare.
    Paul Taylor, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2026
  • There is no efficient transport of material in-and-out of the core, and thus, most of the star’s interior never gets a chance to fuse simply because of its location.
    Big Think, Big Think, 6 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Ronaldo’s only goals at the tournament came in these circumstances.
    James Horncastle, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2026
  • The morning show’s array of hosts often refer to one another as a family in regular circumstances, a bond that has only been emphasized in NBC’s coverage of Nancy Guthrie’s case.
    Kase Wickman, Vanity Fair, 7 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Occasion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/occasion. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.

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