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
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Recent Examples of occasional
The occasional tours help fund the repairs.
—
Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026
But for occasional rice preparation, the stovetop method works perfectly well — and frees up valuable counter and cabinet space.
—Kansas City Star, 11 Mar. 2026
Friends even reportedly noticed there was occasional overlap with other relationships.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Mar. 2026
Sunshine will dominate the forecast, with south winds between 5 and 15 mph and occasional gusts up to 20 mph.
—Newsroom Meteorologist, Austin American Statesman, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for occasional
Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026
But for occasional rice preparation, the stovetop method works perfectly well — and frees up valuable counter and cabinet space.
—Kansas City Star, 11 Mar. 2026
Friends even reportedly noticed there was occasional overlap with other relationships.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Mar. 2026
Sunshine will dominate the forecast, with south winds between 5 and 15 mph and occasional gusts up to 20 mph.
—Newsroom Meteorologist, Austin American Statesman, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for occasional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for occasional
Adjective
-
But Fontecchio has been in and out of the rotation, and Johnson has played only sporadic minutes this season.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Kilauea is among the world’s most active volcanoes, with sporadic flare-ups since December 2024.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The occasional odd campaign moment and foot-in-mouth gaff didn't help – neither did Jordan getting top honors from his fellow thespians at the Actor Awards.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
-
There's no sight of the near-mythical paiche—an air-breathing fish native to the Amazon basin that can grow to more than 13 feet in length—nor any odd-looking mammals such as the tapir.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Some district schools and offices experienced intermittent power outages throughout the day, including Marriott's Ridge High School, which lost power for about 30 minutes during the school day.—
Janay Reece,
CBS News,
12 Mar. 2026
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The latest to be published looks at whether intermittent fasting — a practice of limiting eating to only a few hours each day — is an effective way to lose weight.—
Scott Lafee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The drug's current FDA label covers leucovorin's use in reducing side effects of certain chemotherapy drugs and treating a rare blood disorder.—
MATTHEW PERRONE THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
11 Mar. 2026
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That plus-8 goal differential places the club in rare company.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
12 Mar. 2026
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Garry Moore, 66, pleaded guilty in January to voluntary manslaughter, a Level 2 felony, under sudden heat.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
But some backpacks are better for travel than others, perhaps designed with isolated shoe compartments, holes to feed your phone charging cable through, jewelry pouches, and special materials that simply wipe clean after picking up germs from public floors.—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
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Avoid tall, isolated trees or other elevated objects.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Ice cream, water fights, kind people who aren’t weird and don’t smell unusual.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
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Friday, an unusual time for such events on the island.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
13 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Plants grow to about 4 feet tall with narrow leaves, and infrequent but exotic flowers, almost like small, greenish-yellow orchids.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Mar. 2026
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Helicopters Are Only Used in Extreme Situations Even in Colorado, which has more than 50 regional SAR teams, helicopter rescues are infrequent.—
Jayme Moye,
Outside,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Occasional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/occasional. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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