OCCASIONAL Synonyms: 89 Similar and Opposite Words

occasional

adjective

ə-ˈkā-zh(ə-)nəl

Definition of occasional

as in sporadic

lacking in steadiness or regularity of occurrence the weekend forecast is for occasional showers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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 occasional On the facade of a sushi restaurant in a chic Buenos Aires neighborhood, two goldfish in a glass display case would go largely unnoticed apart from the occasional child who would tap against the glass. — Sol Amaya, CNN Money, 13 July 2026 The Summer House star, 43, is juggling two TV shows (Summer House and In the City), two companies (Loverboy and Flowerboy), the occasional DJ-ing gig and several brand partnerships. — Katie Hill, PEOPLE, 13 July 2026 While occasional itching is not usually harmful, persistent irritation should be taken seriously. — Sherri Gordon, Health, 13 July 2026 Leaving Bare Soil While occasional empty spots can benefit ground-nesting insects, too much bare soil in your garden can lead to erosion, compaction, and water runoff, not to mention plenty of weed growth. — Erica Browne Grivas, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for occasional

Recent Examples of Synonyms for occasional

Adjective

States routinely review the accuracy of their voter rolls and sporadic cases of noncitizen voting are investigated and prosecuted.

— Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 17 July 2026
His impact last season was more sporadic than steady, however, which is not uncommon for a first-year starter learning on the fly.

— Dane Brugler, New York Times, 16 July 2026

Definition of sporadic

Adjective

During the presentation of the winners’ medals, many of Romero’s team-mates stayed down the other end of the pitch, with their backs to the ceremony (although there was the odd exception, such as Alexis Mac Allister).

— Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 20 July 2026
Offering caregiving support may seem odd for a financial advising firm, but more than 63 million Americans (nearly one in four adults) are caregivers, and nearly one in three support both a parent and a child, AARP said.

— Medora Lee, USA Today, 18 July 2026

Definition of odd

Adjective

Solar energy is naturally intermittent, meaning production peaks in the middle of the day when electricity demand is often relatively low, only to drop off in the evening just as families return home and usage spikes.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 16 July 2026
At the time, logic dictated the culprit to be malaria because the couple had shown symptoms of the illness, including a telltale intermittent fever.

— Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 15 July 2026

Definition of intermittent

Adjective

Spain was so determined to limit Mbappe’s clean looks in the final third that Simon would often leave the net to meet Mbappe in the open field whenever a rare through ball was able to slip past Spain’s elite midfield.

— Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026
Total solar eclipses offer rare and brief opportunities to learn new information about everything from the physics of the sun to the behavior of animals and the dynamics of Earth’s atmosphere.

— Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 15 July 2026

Definition of rare

Adjective

The film centers on Prabha, a troubled young man whose sudden and unexplained death triggers a ripple effect across his extended family and community.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 17 July 2026
Cyclosporiasis symptoms include sudden, watery and occasionally explosive diarrhea—these symptoms usually appear between two days and two weeks after ingesting the parasite.

— Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 17 July 2026

Definition of sudden

Adjective

Another round of storms could bring an additional 2 to 4 inches of rain, with isolated spots getting up to 8, though forecast models suggest the heaviest rain may fall northwest of the areas hit hardest so far.

— Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
The slow-moving storms could also bring pockets of heavy rain, leading to isolated flash flooding.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 16 July 2026

Definition of isolated

Adjective

But a small part is how the Rays have managed his unusual situation, handling him with some care.

— Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 July 2026
Categories for entrants in the pet parade included cutest pet, an owner and pet dress-alike, the biggest and smallest pet, most unusual pet and best trick.

— David Sharos, Chicago Tribune, 19 July 2026

Definition of unusual

Browse Nearby Words

occasion

occasional

occasionally

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Occasional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/occasional. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of occasional

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on occasional

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

dog days

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes