occasional
adjective
oc·ca·sion·al
ə-ˈkā-zh(ə-)nəl 
1
a
: of or relating to a particular occasion
a budget able to meet occasional demands as well as regular ones
b
: created for a particular occasion
occasional verse
occasional music
2
: acting as the occasion or contributing cause of something
occasional causes for creating apparent effects
3
: encountered, occurring, appearing, or taken at irregular or infrequent intervals
occasional visitors
an occasional vacation
found occasional errors
occasional episodes of chest pain
4
: acting in a specified capacity from time to time
an occasional lecturer
an occasional essayist
5
: designed or constructed to be used as the occasion demands
occasional furniture
Examples of occasional in a Sentence
She receives occasional phone calls from her mother.
There will be occasional showers during the morning.
Most mornings, we'll see deer or the occasional bear walking past our house.
He tells an occasional joke to keep his students interested.
I need to take occasional breaks from work.
Sure, I drink an occasional glass of wine from time to time.
She's an occasional lecturer at the university.
Recent Examples on the Web
While a few breeds, such as the Turkish Van, are known to enjoy the occasional swim, the average house cat is famously water-averse.
—
Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 June 2025
Having the occasional treat or missing a workout is okay.
—Lindsay Curtis, Health, 4 June 2025
There is an occasional veteran who shows up on a rehabilitation assignment.
—Bernie Pleskoff, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
Summer foot care requires more than an occasional pedicure.
—Sarah Richards, Verywell Health, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for occasional
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Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 June 2025
Having the occasional treat or missing a workout is okay.
—Lindsay Curtis, Health, 4 June 2025
There is an occasional veteran who shows up on a rehabilitation assignment.
—Bernie Pleskoff, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
Summer foot care requires more than an occasional pedicure.
—Sarah Richards, Verywell Health, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for occasional
Cite this Entry
“Occasional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/occasional. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
occasional
adjective
oc·ca·sion·al
ə-ˈkāzh-nəl
-ən-ᵊl
1
: of, relating to, or created for a particular occasion
occasional verse
2
: happening, appearing, or met with now and then
an occasional visitor
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