1
as in sporadic
lacking in steadiness or regularity of occurrence
the weekend forecast is for occasional showers
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Her success in the anchor seat on NBC News at Sunrise led to occasional sub-ins on the Today show.
—
Angela Andaloro, People.com, 22 May 2025
These aren't occasional encounters either, 37 percent of owners say their dog hangs out with their canine companions at least once a week, and 14 percent report multiple weekly meetups.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 May 2025
Blending all the pitfalls of high school life with the occasional dip-in from the spirit world, Sabrina broke free from a certain kind of multi-camera restriction to offer up a comedy that was timeless for more reasons than the immortality of its characters.
41.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 20 May 2025
Goygol includes 65,000 residents, prim parks, tall pines and occasional Tyrolean architecture.
—Tom Mullen, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for occasional
Angela Andaloro, People.com, 22 May 2025
These aren't occasional encounters either, 37 percent of owners say their dog hangs out with their canine companions at least once a week, and 14 percent report multiple weekly meetups.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 May 2025
Blending all the pitfalls of high school life with the occasional dip-in from the spirit world, Sabrina broke free from a certain kind of multi-camera restriction to offer up a comedy that was timeless for more reasons than the immortality of its characters.
41.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 20 May 2025
Goygol includes 65,000 residents, prim parks, tall pines and occasional Tyrolean architecture.
—Tom Mullen, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for occasional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for occasional
Adjective
-
And while sporadic outbreaks have occurred since 2000, recent case counts are nothing compared with the 27,000 cases reported in 1990 or the 450,000 cases reported in 1964.—
Joe Murphy,
NBC news,
8 May 2025
-
And there has been one since then, five years ago, but clearly your own recorded output is on the sporadic side, taking a big back seat to the songwriting.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
There’s an odd smoothness to the look and feel of the cinematography by Christian Sebaldt, but the uncanny valley phenomenon is welcome when watching bodily destruction unfold.—
Katie Walsh,
Los Angeles Times,
16 May 2025
-
It was also updated to clarify the role of Victor Ortega-Jiménez in observing the flamingos' odd feeding behavior.—
Geoff Brumfiel,
NPR,
16 May 2025
Adjective
-
The animators at Blur Studio employ a photo-realistic quality to their art, shading the characters in dramatic shadows and inserting intermittent patches of concentrated color that grab your visual attention and slingshot you through the rocketing narrative. 4.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
17 May 2025
-
Please talk with your healthcare provider before trying 4:3 intermittent fasting.—
Brittany Lubeck,
Verywell Health,
15 May 2025
Adjective
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The bill, introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, passed with unanimous consent – a rare occurrence for substantive legislation.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
21 May 2025
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This rare, hands-on recording museum highlights the sonic legacy of guitar god Les Paul.—
Hailey Branson-Potts,
Los Angeles Times,
21 May 2025
Adjective
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His retirement wasn’t sudden, and the scheduling team has slowly been preparing for this transition over the past few years.—
Jayna Bardahl,
New York Times,
13 May 2025
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The boom in housing demand during these years resulted in a sudden surge in home values and prices in the state, which in turn encouraged an explosion in new construction projects.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 May 2025
Adjective
-
At an isolated hotel, a charismatic older man, Gustav (Schreiber), talks to a young artist, Adi (Smith), luring him toward greater and deeper confidences.—
Helen Shaw,
New Yorker,
22 May 2025
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If the tree is small and isolated, its north side may be entirely covered with pale green moss.—
Ted Updike,
Outdoor Life,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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In that respect, Alonso is not necessarily unusual.—
Ken Rosenthal,
New York Times,
15 May 2025
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If anything seems unusual, trust your instincts and stop the communication immediately.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2025
Adjective
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The scenic drive includes a crossing of the Hardanger Bridge, one of the longest suspension bridges in the world, which links Ulvik to the main route between Bergen and Oslo. Alternatively, regional buses connect Ulvik to nearby towns like Voss and Eidfjord, but schedules are infrequent.—
David Nikel,
Forbes.com,
5 May 2025
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In his second, the briefings have been even more infrequent.—
Irineo Cabreros,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Occasional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/occasional. Accessed 27 May. 2025.
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