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
There are milestone-celebrating couples in their fifties and sixties who've done the traditional luxury hotel circuit and want something real, plus the occasional corporate retreat where VPs swap their suits for rain jackets.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Jan. 2026
College football is evolving, and the occasional high-profile quarterback drama will neither accelerate the process nor stop it.
—Ralph D. Russo, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2026
Snow rests lightly on branches and the occasional rain glides off dormant stems.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Jan. 2026
This week marks 10 years since the death of the musician, actor, unlikely internet pioneer, and occasional artist David Bowie.
—Alexander Larman, Time, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for occasional
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Jan. 2026
College football is evolving, and the occasional high-profile quarterback drama will neither accelerate the process nor stop it.
—Ralph D. Russo, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2026
Snow rests lightly on branches and the occasional rain glides off dormant stems.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Jan. 2026
This week marks 10 years since the death of the musician, actor, unlikely internet pioneer, and occasional artist David Bowie.
—Alexander Larman, Time, 10 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for occasional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for occasional
Adjective
-
The study made a significant contribution, if not clarification, to this academic niche — medieval migration wasn’t seasonal, nor sporadic and intense.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Trying to keep up with tariff news, especially as a consumer who isn't necessarily an expert in economic policy, can feel like dodging sporadic jump scares.—
Marci Robin,
Allure,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Toronto netminder Dennis Hildeby stoned Trevor Zegras on a breakaway, and later made consecutive saves on Matvei Michkov and Sean Couturier to spring the odd-man rush that led to Cowan's goal.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
-
The details of Cooper’s crime seemed too tempting to McNally, a high school dropout turned military-airplane electrician who’d pursued odd jobs and scams since being discharged.—
Johnny Dodd,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Over the past decade, intermittent mass protests have drawn participants from virtually every socioeconomic class, including ethnic minorities on the periphery of the country, labor movements, women, and bazaaris.—
Karim Sadjadpour,
The Atlantic,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Atkins, keto, South Beach, the Zone, low carb, no carb, ultra-low fat, liquid only, Jillian Michaels, Jane Fonda, Suzanne Somers, full-body HIIT workouts, gym memberships, a YMCA weight coach, DietBet, StepBet, a Mediterranean diet, a vegetarian diet, the raw food diet, intermittent fasting.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
These Hokas are the rare travel shoe that works across all ages, activity levels, and destinations.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Jan. 2026
-
The study offers rare, direct evidence of this process by tracking cool gas across entire galaxies, something that was not possible before large surveys like MaNGA.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Leave a safe distance between you and the vehicle in front of you to account for sudden stops or changes in the traffic pattern.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
12 Jan. 2026
-
The engine, freed from its hook by a sudden hard, precise kick, quickly sank into the river, pulling the cord tight and dragging the foreman underwater.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The pair become isolated in a rundown Oklahoma motel room as discussions of conspiracy theories take place.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The gringos are coming, and Latour must shore up the diocese, trekking between isolated haciendas and pueblos with his quasi-spousal companion Father Vaillant.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Andy Baker-White, the senior director of state health policy for the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, said the bipartisan support for bills targeting food dyes and ultraprocessed food struck him as unusual.—
Alan Greenblatt,
CBS News,
12 Jan. 2026
-
But David did put in place an unusual corporate reporting structure in which Weiss reports directly to him, rather than through the head of CBS — an arrangement that has imbued every decision Weiss has made with speculation about whether David might be influencing her choices.—
Reeves Wiedeman,
Vulture,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Hurricane season lasts from June through November, and while storms are infrequent, expect generally warmer, wetter weather and passing afternoon showers.—
Carley Rojas Avila,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Diseases that are now infrequent but highly contagious, like rotavirus, could begin to reemerge, said Choma, a clinical assistant professor at the George Washington University School of Nursing.—
Isabella Cueto,
STAT,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Occasional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/occasional. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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