serendipitous

adjective

Definition of serendipitousnext
as in coincidental
happening because of good luck or chance After not seeing each other for ten years, we had a serendipitous reunion on the street one day.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 serendipitous That serendipitous 6th Grade homeroom assignment has given me everything. — Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026 Tommy Hilfiger himself pulls up in a taxicab — what a serendipitous coincidence! — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 1 Sep. 2026 Guests—defined loosely as anyone from a random hookup to Julia Fox to a surprisingly chill raccoon—drop by the house with regularity, creating a zippy blend of the mundane and the serendipitous. — Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2026 Her rapid journey into advocacy was sparked by a serendipitous encounter with Association representatives at a corporate event, shortly before tragically losing her mother to the disease last November. — Alzheimer’s Association, Chicago Tribune, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for serendipitous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for serendipitous
  1. coincidental
  2. accidental
  3. unexpected
  4. convenient
  5. timely
  6. happy
  7. opportune
  8. unforeseen
Adjective
  • This coincidental trait inspired researchers to name the new genus Herugavialis after Heru, or Horus, the Egyptian god associated with the construction of the mythical creature.
    — Taylor Nicioli, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Now, with this curious surge of coincidental timing, the film industry is returning the favor.
    — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of coincidental
Adjective
  • Related Stories This leads to… his accidental death by chainsaw.
    — Marta Balaga, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
  • An accidental double touch on a penalty kick might mean the loss of a football game.
    — Wendy S. Walters, Architectural Digest, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of accidental
Adjective
  • The pom-pom sandals at Givenchy were wonderful, fun, unexpected and exactly what fashion lovers are looking for from a spring runway show.
    — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Be especially cautious about unexpected texts or calls that arrive afterward.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of unexpected
Adjective
  • The company aims to create the absolute sweet spot in terms of an affordable, featherlight, roomy and convenient solo tent for rigorous backpacking, kayak camping, bikepacking and more.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 12 Oct. 2026
  • While these luxuries are definitely convenient, people are finding that spending all their time alone isn’t beneficial for their mental, social, and even physical health.
    — Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of convenient
Adjective
  • If the car or truck was rented in one state, set to return in another state and crossed into Mexico via a third, the coordination required between three state law enforcement agencies can make timely recovery of the vehicle even more complicated.
    — Steve Fisher Special Correspondent Follow, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2026
  • For more on this, check out STAT’s Katie Palmer’s excellent addition to her timely series Paying for AI, which examines how new clinical AI tools influence the affordability of health care and patients’ long-term health.
    — O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of timely
Adjective
  • With Heather finally in a happy relationship, perhaps others had to sacrifice theirs to keep the balance.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The report also highlights interest in happy-hour dining and value-focused restaurant experiences, suggesting diners want memorable outings without necessarily paying for a full dinner.
    — Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of happy
Adjective
  • His camera glides around rooms and pans at opportune moments to maximize the power of offscreen space.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Yet the way things transpired in the Chiefs' 30-27 win in Las Vegas on Sunday, the bye may have come at an opportune time.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of opportune
Adjective
  • According to Saks, the campaign depicts how different levels of the store offer something unforeseen.
    — David Moin, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Defenders of the emergency fees, which can be levied by HOA boards to address health and safety hazards or unforeseen expenses, say that long-standing infrastructure issues must be addressed, even if residents don’t like the price tag.
    — Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of unforeseen

Browse Nearby Words

serendipities
serendipitous
serendipity
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Serendipitous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/serendipitous. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of zenith

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 16
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All