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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of occasional
The compact, armless design is suitable for those who won't be spending a majority of their workdays at home, but is comfortable enough to support occasional work from home days and easy to match with your existing color scheme.
—
Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 10 July 2025
South winds will continue to blow at 5 to 10 mph with occasional 20-mph gusts.
—Roberto Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 10 July 2025
And far in the distance, whenever there's a lull in the party, an occasional cheer can be heard from Centre Court, less than a quarter-mile away — where some of these lucky campers will be watching world-class tennis the next day.
—Lauren Frayer, NPR, 10 July 2025
Millions of children play sports with overwhelmingly positive outcomes, despite the occasional scraped knee, or in rare and tragic cases, serious injuries and even death.
—Larry Magid, Mercury News, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for occasional
Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 10 July 2025
South winds will continue to blow at 5 to 10 mph with occasional 20-mph gusts.
—Roberto Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 10 July 2025
And far in the distance, whenever there's a lull in the party, an occasional cheer can be heard from Centre Court, less than a quarter-mile away — where some of these lucky campers will be watching world-class tennis the next day.
—Lauren Frayer, NPR, 10 July 2025
Millions of children play sports with overwhelmingly positive outcomes, despite the occasional scraped knee, or in rare and tragic cases, serious injuries and even death.
—Larry Magid, Mercury News, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for occasional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for occasional
Adjective
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However, with Brooks Lee, Kody Clemens and Lewis receiving the bulk of the playing time, at-bats became more sporadic for Bride, who only had eight hits in his last 58 at-bats for the Twins.—
Dan Hayes,
New York Times,
30 June 2025
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Coaches and players who had meticulously calibrated fitness programs for 2024 were forced into an extended holding pattern, trying to maintain sharpness through sporadic friendlies and local camps.—
Sindiswa Mabunda,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
Adjective
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Juve haven’t looked genuine title contenders in Italy for half a decade, and the current side is a mismatch of talented youth and odd signings.—
Emmet Gates,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
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The odd creature turned out to be a new species of dragon millipede, according to a study published June 25 in the journal Invertebrate Systematics.—
Lauren Liebhaber,
Miami Herald,
30 June 2025
Adjective
-
However, the available data indicates that for the past several months there has been a persistent presence of hydrogen sulfide, causing intermittent exposure to levels that some studies and environmental health experts suggest can cause respiratory complications.—
Tammy Murga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 July 2025
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Itasca received intermittent voice messages from Earhart as her signal increased.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
4 July 2025
Adjective
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That’s certainly rare — especially when the show has been this successful.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
8 July 2025
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Though very unlikely, prolonged sitting also increases the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a rare and potentially serious condition where a blood clot forms in a deep vein, usually in the legs.—
Meghan Overdeep,
Southern Living,
8 July 2025
Adjective
-
Her husband had always had a soft spot for yams and was glad for the sudden bounty.—
Zadie Smith,
New Yorker,
30 June 2025
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Sharif was shaken by the drastic shift in his wife’s priorities, and her sudden dissatisfaction with their life.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 June 2025
Adjective
-
Keep a distance from tall, isolated trees or other elevated objects.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT
Updated July 8,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 July 2025
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The greatest threat with these storms will be damaging wind gusts up to 70mph and isolated hail.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 July 2025
Adjective
-
Finally, real-time monitoring can detect unusual activity, such as multiple login attempts or access from unfamiliar IP addresses, allowing organizers to respond quickly to potential threats. 3.—
Michele Dobnikar,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
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There was an unusual silence surrounding Sacramento’s apparent acquisition of Dennis Schroder on Monday after the Kings reportedly reached an agreement with the free agent point guard.—
Jason Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
1 July 2025
Adjective
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The funding notice underscored the need for U.S. facilities to provide critical societal and economic services during infrequent high-impact events that may cause electricity grid outages.—
Noël Fletcher,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
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His infrequent social media presence is a collection of tributes to other entertainment artists, sponsored posts from brands like Lego and the occasional inspirational message.—
Lisa Respers France,
CNN Money,
17 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Occasional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/occasional. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.
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