occasional

adjective

ə-ˈkā-zh(ə-)nəl How to pronounce occasional (audio)
Definition of occasionalnext
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

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 The couple has kept things relatively quiet over the years, making the occasional public appearance and speaking fondly of one another in interviews. — Ashleigh Carter, InStyle, 30 Oct. 2026 Despite an occasional groan of narrative machinery, Vavrek ably repaces Saunders’s story line and carries its texty voices into song. — Nathan Heller, New Yorker, 29 Oct. 2026 Over the coming weeks, Chacko said Sparrow will greatly expand its offerings to include more coffee and non-alcoholic beverages, lunch offerings, and occasional items shared by friends who are successful chefs. — Chuck Fieldman, Chicago Tribune, 29 Oct. 2026 There is an empty lot on the other side of the street, full of cars and the occasional food truck to feed the thousands of laborers who are busy transforming this expanse of desert into an industrial park. — Gaby Del Valle, The Verge, 29 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for occasional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for occasional
  1. sporadic
  2. odd
  3. intermittent
  4. rare
  5. sudden
  6. isolated
  7. unusual
  8. infrequent
Adjective
  • Even after two MVPs, Jackson takes heat for his sporadic attendance at voluntary offseason practices.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Younger generations’ exposure to social media content promoting GLP-1 microdosing or intermittent or sporadic use of the medications may influence these behaviors, too, Albaugh adds.
    — Anna L. Goldman, EverydayHealth.com, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of sporadic
Adjective
  • Anyway, aside from the odd finish, what the Bowl audience got in the broader sense was far from an anticlimax in the overall scheme of things.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 30 Oct. 2026
  • His other weapon was his voice, at once coldly precise and dangerously soft; never before had Malkovich’s distinctly odd cadences sounded so menacing.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of odd
Adjective
  • In the case of intermittent signals, the culprit might never be found.
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Younger generations’ exposure to social media content promoting GLP-1 microdosing or intermittent or sporadic use of the medications may influence these behaviors, too, Albaugh adds.
    — Anna L. Goldman, EverydayHealth.com, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of intermittent
Adjective
  • The other, in Washington state, died in November 2025 from a rarer version called H5N5.
    — Mike Stobbe, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Both were unbelievably tender and seared to a perfect medium-rare.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of rare
Adjective
  • Lucy leaves their countryside home with Johnny immediately, going straight to her mother’s house ( Catherine Deneuve plays mom), but avoids telling her, or anyone else, the specifics of this sudden separation.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Oct. 2026
  • All of a sudden, the war took on a more present form, unsettling a kingdom unused to conflicts playing out on home turf.
    — Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of sudden
Adjective
  • Unifying early creative and planning phases with advanced analytics ensures downstream execution is driven by objective market signals rather than isolated guessing.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Storms will start to arrive on Friday, with stray showers in isolated areas and maximum temperatures 5 to 10 degrees below normal, according to the forecast from the National Weather Service.
    — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of isolated
Adjective
  • The order of events in the Weeks recusal was somewhat unusual.
    — Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Oct. 2026
  • Scheels argued this year that the Ada County Assessor’s Office had overvalued its unusual building.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of unusual
Adjective
  • Spider Plant Another hard-to-kill houseplant is the ubiquitous spider plant, which can handle both low light and infrequent watering thanks to its fleshy white roots that store water.
    — Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 21 Oct. 2026
  • But these infrequent episodes ultimately didn’t sway my stance.
    — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of infrequent

Browse Nearby Words

occasion
occasional
occasionally
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Cite this Entry

“Occasional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/occasional. Accessed 3 Nov. 2026.

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