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.

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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 In another space, this would have felt like a wild coincidence, but at Kiko, these serendipitous moments begin to feel almost expected. — Michael Anthony Hall, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026 Nearly 30 years after her book Practical Magic was published and adapted into the film starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, author Alice Hoffman feels the timing for an onscreen revisit to the Owens sisters is serendipitous. — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2026 His serendipitous timing ended up giving artists displaced by a fire a new home. — Jasmine Hentschel, AJC.com, 10 Sep. 2026 My rabbit hole ended, happily, in this serendipitous Hell Gate profile of the Williamsburg tailor who kept Interpol in fine threads. — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 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
  • The task for the printmakers, led by Erik Hougen, Jeremy Ruiz, and Tom Smith, was to reproduce the jottings, corrections, and accidental smears on Safdie’s notecard as faithfully as possible, and also to scale it up in size.
    — Bruce Handy, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Good news for Boeing, but could this accidental monopoly be a potential disaster waiting to happen?
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of accidental
Adjective
  • Prince Harry is opening up about his and wife Meghan Markle’s unexpected decision earlier this year to move back to the United Kingdom years after their dramatic fallout with the British royal family.
    — Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The tropical getaway also included some unexpected entertainment.
    — Danielle Minnetian, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of unexpected
Adjective
  • Electricians use plug and play wiring, and our pipes are far more convenient plastic as opposed to lead.
    — Scott Levenson, New York Daily News, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The Dodgers were a convenient boogeyman, but the owners’ desire for cost-control is not actually contingent on the results of a small-sample-size tournament.
    — Hannah Keyser, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of convenient
Adjective
  • President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine received no timely warning from partners, as shortages of Patriot defenses and continuing Starlink restrictions hamper the country’s ability to counter attacks.
    — Samya Kullab, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
  • But economic mobility also depends on safe housing, timely paperwork, promised assistance arriving and enough savings to absorb the next $1,000 obstacle.
    — Cathie Anderson, Sacbee.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of timely
Adjective
  • As for the happy throng of guests, the dress code was wide open to interpretation, from paillettes to pink marabou.
    — Laura Regensdorf, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The Knicks enter the 2026 season this week as defending NBA champions, as any New Yorker in your life would be happy to remind you.
    — Noah Shachtman, Vanity Fair, 20 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
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Cite this Entry

“Serendipitous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/serendipitous. Accessed 25 Oct. 2026.

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