chance

1 of 2

noun

1
a
: something that happens unpredictably without discernible human intention or observable cause
Which cards you are dealt is simply a matter of chance.
b
: the assumed impersonal purposeless determiner of unaccountable happenings : luck
an outcome decided by chance
c
: the fortuitous or incalculable element in existence : contingency
… you surely have endured strange chancesAlfred Tennyson
2
: a situation favoring some purpose : opportunity
needed a chance to relax
3
: a fielding opportunity in baseball
4
a
: the possibility of a particular outcome in an uncertain situation
What chance has he of pulling through?
also : the degree of likelihood of such an outcome
a small chance of success
b
chances plural : the more likely indications
chances are he's already gone
5
a
: risk
not taking any chances
b
: a raffle ticket
chance adjective

chance

2 of 2

verb

chanced; chancing

intransitive verb

1
a
: to take place, come about, or turn out by chance : happen
it chanced to rain that day
b
: to have the good or bad luck
we chanced to meet
2
: to come or light by chance
they chanced upon a remote inn

transitive verb

1
: to leave the outcome of to chance
2
: to accept the hazard of : risk
knew the trip was dangerous but decided to chance it
Phrases
by chance
: in the haphazard course of events
they met by chance
chance one's arm
British : to take a risk

Examples of chance in a Sentence

Noun This is the chance of a lifetime! Everyone deserves a fair chance of winning the award. If you give me a chance, I know I can do a good job. We didn't have much chance to talk about it. There's a good chance that we'll finish on time. If you are free tonight, is there any chance you could join me for dinner? Which cards you're given is simply a matter of chance. Verb He couldn't chance playing with a broken toe. I don't think we should chance driving in this snowstorm. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Bloomberg Binance’s plea deal Binance is getting a chance to live and fight another day, following a $4.3 billion settlement with the Department of Justice. Peter Vanham, Fortune, 22 Nov. 2023 Don’t miss out on the chance to grab these must-have items and make your Cyber Weekend shopping spree a resounding success. Poppy Morgan, Rolling Stone, 22 Nov. 2023 By chance, Jan Jeucken, an amateur bat enthusiast and co-author of the new paper, had been observing a group of serotine bats that gathered in the attic of a church in the Netherlands. Lori Youmshajekian, Scientific American, 21 Nov. 2023 Its contestants were folks desperate enough to gamble their lives for the chance at a big payday. Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Nov. 2023 Making customers work a little harder for deals increases the chances that only price-sensitive consumers collect, thereby helping to protect a company’s margins, Neslin said. Katie Deighton, WSJ, 21 Nov. 2023 Many companies ship gift baskets only on certain days at the beginning of the week, so that there’s less of a chance of a weekend delay. Moriah Mason, Southern Living, 21 Nov. 2023 Meantime, the college football’s coming playoff expansion will improve his chances of winning the national title. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Nov. 2023 Houston’s last chance, fittingly, was a half-court heave from Brooks that would’ve stolen the game. Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 20 Nov. 2023
Verb
That's because farmers don't leave anything to chance. Katherine Bourzac, Scientific American, 19 Sep. 2023 Of course, the company isn’t leaving anything to chance. Brian Steinberg, Variety, 19 Sep. 2023 Steve and Kristi, the parents of Kaylee Goncalves, haven't left anything to chance. Peter Van Sant, CBS News, 16 Sep. 2023 Against Penn State, no one in Bedford’s room was going to leave anything to chance. Nick Baumgardner and Mark Snyder, Detroit Free Press, 28 Aug. 2023 The 60-mile stretch of jungle, infested with snakes and prowled by criminals, is so deadly that few people ever chanced it. Mary Beth Sheridan, Washington Post, 20 Oct. 2023 Though the shark and crocodile of legend went their separate ways, their modern-day real-life counterparts still sometimes chance to meet. Steven Hill, Field & Stream, 27 July 2023 Related One of the most recognizable and celebrated stars on the planet, Shakira is also notoriously meticulous, a perfectionist known for leaving little to chance. Leila Cobo, Billboard, 21 Sep. 2023 Most smaller towns lack clinics, so many patients commute to Alaska’s capital city, chancing ferry and plane cancellations while racking up expensive travel fees. First National Bank Alaska, Anchorage Daily News, 7 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'chance.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English chaunce, chance "occurrence (especially unforeseen or providential), stroke of good or bad luck, luck, fall of the dice," borrowed from Anglo-French cheaunce, chaunce, chance, going back to Vulgar Latin *cadentia, noun derivative (formally feminine singular from neuter plural) of Latin cadent-, cadens, present participle of cadere "to fall, be cast (of dice, lots), turn out, come to pass," perhaps going back to an Indo-European verbal base *ḱad- or *ḱHd- "fall," whence also Sanskrit śaśāda "(s/he) fell off/out," śatsyati "(s/he) will fall off/out"

Verb

Middle English chancen, chaunsen, verbal derivative of chance, chaunce chance entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of chance was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near chance

Cite this Entry

“Chance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chance. Accessed 28 Nov. 2023.

Kids Definition

chance

1 of 3 noun
1
: the uncertain course of events
they met by chance
2
: opportunity sense 1
had a chance to travel
3
: the possibility of loss or injury
took chances driving too fast
4
: the possibility or probability of something happening
there is a chance of rain
5
: a ticket in a raffle

chance

2 of 3 verb
chanced; chancing
1
: to take place by chance : happen
it chanced to rain that day
2
: to come unexpectedly
used with upon
chanced upon a good restaurant
3
: risk entry 2 sense 2
knew the trip was dangerous but decided to chance it

chance

3 of 3 adjective
: happening by chance
a chance meeting

More from Merriam-Webster on chance

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