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 My family has always left shoes at the door, except for occasional circumstances like parties, et cetera. — R. Eric Thomas, Washington Post, 20 July 2026 The scale and reach of the operation suggest Ukraine is moving beyond occasional symbolic attacks on Moscow and building a sustained campaign against the infrastructure that supports Russia’s war. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2026 Rather than monitoring entire calls, Thorn uses AI to check occasional frames of a video call. — Charlie Campbell, Time, 20 July 2026 Before that, beyond occasional outliers (Denmark in 1986, for example, or perhaps England’s in 1982), as a rule international shirts tended to be fairly plain, in that country’s traditional colours. — Nick Miller, New York Times, 19 July 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
  • Virginia had a few sporadic measles cases at the start of 2026, related to international travel or travel to areas of the US with an outbreak.
    — Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 24 July 2026
  • Many private market investments such as private equity, private credit and select infrastructure investments are structured to have longer lockup periods, experience sporadic capital calls and provide limited opportunities for redemption.
    — Jeffrey Bartel, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of sporadic
Adjective
  • Regardless, the Red Sox viewed Early as the odd-man out as Breslow tries to navigate the upcoming trade deadline with the Red Sox having played themselves back into a playoff spot by winning 21 out of their last 25 games.
    — Greg Dudek, Boston Herald, 26 July 2026
  • Silbiger’s portfolio is a reflective combination of classic American motifs like Saguaro cacti and herds of bison, and odd roadside attractions like the inflatable Maine lobster.
    — Sarah Silbiger, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
Definition of odd
Adjective
  • Repairs to the deck of the Sutter Slough Bridge on South River Road and Sutter Slough Bridge Road will cause intermittent lane closures in both directions next week, according to a Yolo County news release.
    — Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 23 July 2026
  • But aren’t those intermittent slip-ups better than more of the same?
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 23 July 2026
Definition of intermittent
Adjective
  • Southern Louisiana was under tropical storm and extreme heat warnings for much of Wednesday — a rare double dose of suffering, the National Weather Service said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 2026
  • Sensing a rare viewing opportunity, the team followed the pod by boat.
    — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 23 July 2026
Definition of rare
Adjective
  • In the meantime, if the sudden onset of the midsummer sports doldrums is anything to go by, the next World Cup can’t get here soon enough.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 24 July 2026
  • The sudden sight of a dish so delicious — or grotesque — the body briefly forgets its need for oxygen.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 24 July 2026
Definition of sudden
Adjective
  • Rain totals were forecast between 1 and 4 inches (3 to 10 centimeters), with higher amounts possible in isolated areas.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 2026
  • Bertha is expected to produce total rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches with isolated totals to 6 inches through tonight along Texas Gulf Coast and South Texas.
    — MIAMI HERALD HURRICANE BOT, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026
Definition of isolated
Adjective
  • Changes in color, cloudiness, or unusual appearance can be signs the medication may not be stable anymore.
    — Judy Koutsky, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
  • These are cases that were acquired in the US, rather than from travel abroad, which makes this year unusual.
    — Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
Definition of unusual
Adjective
  • Earthquakes are sudden, costly, and often lead to complacency due to infrequent major events, as seen with the New Madrid Fault or the Pacific Ring of Fire.
    — Chloe Demrovsky, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
  • The shooting took place in a country with far stronger gun laws compared to the US and where mass shootings are infrequent.
    — Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 12 July 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 28 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of occasional for Spanish Speakers

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