1
as in sporadic
lacking in steadiness or regularity of occurrence
the weekend forecast is for occasional showers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in odd
not often occurring or repeated
an occasional mechanical problem with our car, but nothing serious
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of occasional
The intimate nature of McDaniel’s practice has garnered attention — and occasional skepticism.
—
Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
If this all sounds a little too safe and cutesy, then there are still the occasional absurdisms which lean into his reputation as a one-man chaos machine.
—Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 22 Apr. 2026
Unlike finfluencers, Reddit users typically trade tips and opinion in plain text and occasional memes.
—Maximilian Brichta, The Conversation, 22 Apr. 2026
In the short term, temperatures are expected to return to the upper 60s Thursday and Friday in the hottest spots amid ever-clearing skies with an occasional handful of clouds thrown into the mix.
—Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for occasional
Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
If this all sounds a little too safe and cutesy, then there are still the occasional absurdisms which lean into his reputation as a one-man chaos machine.
—Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 22 Apr. 2026
Unlike finfluencers, Reddit users typically trade tips and opinion in plain text and occasional memes.
—Maximilian Brichta, The Conversation, 22 Apr. 2026
In the short term, temperatures are expected to return to the upper 60s Thursday and Friday in the hottest spots amid ever-clearing skies with an occasional handful of clouds thrown into the mix.
—Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for occasional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for occasional
Adjective
-
After a sporadic and drawn-out campaign of vague teasers for a new album called Iceman, the rarely understated rapper unveiled a stack of frozen bricks at 81 Bond Street yesterday (April 20), promising that the release date is hidden inside.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
21 Apr. 2026
-
There are also sporadic blooms throughout the summer months.—
Patricia S York,
Southern Living,
18 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In Ukraine, using religious rhetoric in elections would seem odd, even inappropriate.—
Nataliya Gumenyuk,
The Dial,
21 Apr. 2026
-
At first blush Ternus might seem an odd choice for that AI future.—
Lisa Eadicicco,
CNN Money,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Burke spoke only to consent to intermittent interruptions of his preliminary hearing, allowing the court to address other pending matters.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
23 Apr. 2026
-
On the menu are cryotherapy chambers, red light therapy, hyperbaric oxygen sessions, intermittent hypoxic training, and vacuum therapy—all geared towards cellular recovery and holistic well-being.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Golinski was more confident when the ball met the bat than Kirk was, so there was no posing or admiring the rare shot.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The Latest Estonia’s government criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy over his warning that Russia could be preparing to attack the Baltic states, a rare rebuke from one of Kyiv’s staunchest allies.—
Suzanne Lynch,
Bloomberg,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The sudden departure comes just a day after Phelan addressed a large crowd of sailors and industry professionals at the Navy’s annual conference in Washington, and spoke with reporters about his agenda.—
Konstantin Toropin,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Now, however, a study published today in Nature is challenging this sedate view, suggesting instead that the solar system’s first solids stormed into being much faster from sudden temperature shifts in the disk’s turbulent maelstrom.—
Javier Barbuzano,
Scientific American,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Venezuela is not an isolated case.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Apr. 2026
-
California has higher electricity prices than every state but Hawaii, which has far more reason for its high prices given its isolated geography.—
Paige Lambermont,
Oc Register,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The barbed fact is that the woman caught in the middle of this unusual male arrangement benefits from none of their newfound emotional enlightenment.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
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Trent Richardson and Saquon Barkley are the only running backs who have been drafted in the top three picks in the last two decades of the NFL draft, but Jeremiyah Love joins that group as the Cardinals take the unusual move of drafting a back this high.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Because the new robots are triggered by heat, they can be activated by predictable sunlight in arid environments where rain is infrequent.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Editors also look for scholarly analysis of public policy and infrequent pieces in which a regular reader finds a fresh and creative voice and deals authoritatively with an issue worthy of general reader attention.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Occasional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/occasional. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
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