1
as in sporadic
lacking in steadiness or regularity of occurrence
the weekend forecast is for occasional showers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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Recent Examples of occasional
There is occasional debate over the roughly 120,000 workers from overseas who are awarded H-1B visas every year for temporary high-skilled employment.
—
Alec MacGillis, ProPublica, 3 June 2025
Over the years, he has been involved in occasional legal trouble.
—Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 3 June 2025
Turtles, fish and the occasional anhinga on its own diving adventure are likely treats to be witnessed amid sweeping grass flowing at a gentle 1 mph.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 May 2025
Others that have a small selling history and only a handful of items for sale at a time tend to be occasional sellers and wardrobe clearers.
—Benjamin Voyer, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for occasional
Alec MacGillis, ProPublica, 3 June 2025
Over the years, he has been involved in occasional legal trouble.
—Mankaprr Conteh, Rolling Stone, 3 June 2025
Turtles, fish and the occasional anhinga on its own diving adventure are likely treats to be witnessed amid sweeping grass flowing at a gentle 1 mph.
—Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 31 May 2025
Others that have a small selling history and only a handful of items for sale at a time tend to be occasional sellers and wardrobe clearers.
—Benjamin Voyer, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for occasional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for occasional
Adjective
-
Though the May 31 eruption is the only one caught on official video, the USGS has received several reports of other sporadic eruptions over the past year.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
1 June 2025
-
My spring crops were slow to develop this year, stifled by sporadic frosts and bouts of dry weather.—
Anthony Reardon,
Kansas City Star,
30 May 2025
Adjective
-
Both of her parents worked, holding down odd jobs, and by September 2024, the family had settled in Bakersfield and S.G.V. was discharged from the hospital.—
Andrea Castillo,
Los Angeles Times,
27 May 2025
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This led to a delay of the next test flight and an odd resolution between the company and the regulator that was not publicly disclosed but amounts to a slap on the wrist.—
Eric Mack,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2025
Adjective
-
Residents lack running water, use 5-gallon buckets as toilets and must contend with intermittent electricity and deteriorating homes that expose them to the region’s fierce weather.—
Emily Schwing,
ProPublica,
29 May 2025
-
Holmgren had to take intermittent breaks from the sport because of growing pains.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
24 May 2025
Adjective
-
Sip rare rums at Dunn’s Rum Club in Jamaica Courtesy of Sandals Resorts Every trip deserves a good toast, and at Sandals Dunn’s River, the Rum Club knows precisely how to pour it.—
Sandals Resorts,
AFAR Media,
2 June 2025
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Season 7 provided a rare opportunity to keep this world for the fans while introducing new characters alongside some beloved favorites.—
Selome Hailu,
Variety,
2 June 2025
Adjective
-
Written in Latin, the coroners' rolls are records of sudden or suspicious deaths as investigated by a jury of local men, called together by the coroner to establish facts and reach a verdict.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
6 June 2025
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Keep a safe distance: Leave a safe distance between you and the vehicle in front of you to account for sudden stops or changes in the traffic pattern.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
6 June 2025
Adjective
-
Keep a distance from tall, isolated trees or other elevated objects.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 June 2025
-
Avoid tall, isolated trees or other elevated objects.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
3 June 2025
Adjective
-
The unusual incident was documented on a Reddit page dedicated to all things Walmart.—
Peter Burke,
FOXNews.com,
8 June 2025
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Hamas issued an unusual warning about another hostage, Matan Zangauker, saying Israel's military had surrounded the area where he's held and that any harm that came to him during a rescue attempt would be Israel's responsibility.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 June 2025
Adjective
-
Without a runway locals must travel days by infrequent boat to reach another runway.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 May 2025
-
And that could be every two months for a frequent rider or a seasonal thing for infrequent riders.—
Scott Kramer,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Occasional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/occasional. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.
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