OCCASIONAL Synonyms: 89 Similar and Opposite Words

occasional

adjective

ə-ˈkā-zh(ə-)nəl

Definition of occasional

as in sporadic

lacking in steadiness or regularity of occurrence the weekend forecast is for occasional showers

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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 occasional Experts say that occasional, minor lapses—misplacing items, forgetting a word, or losing your train of thought—are a normal part of the aging process. — Danielle Zickl, HEALTH, 31 Aug. 2026 Both were enthusiastic members of a Presbyterian Church in America youth group called Village Seven; Good was an occasional soloist on the worship team. — Emily Witt, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026 All three plays share Maya’s signature style of blazing-fast dialogue, crackling humor, occasional lines spoken in Spanish and a quick wrap-up in under two hours. — Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Aug. 2026 During my hands-on time with Silver Palace at AnimeNYC and throughout the recent beta, the action-RPG suffered frequent frame drops and occasional crashes. — Gabriel Zamora, PC Magazine, 29 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for occasional

Recent Examples of Synonyms for occasional

Adjective

Bahrain and Kuwait, which have continued to face sporadic Iranian attacks, will have the lowest staffing of the Gulf embassies, with three-quarters of Foreign Service members returning.

— Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2026
Attacks on Kenscoff have escalated The first major attack on Kenscoff occurred in January 2025, and since then, there have been sporadic attacks in the mountains surrounding the city center.

— Pierre-Richard Luxama, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of sporadic

Adjective

None of this means intermittent fasting is a cure for ongoing pain and anxiety, of course.

— Mike McRae August 25, New Atlas, 25 Aug. 2026
Television released one more album in the Nineties and played intermittent reunions over the following decades, but officially dissolved in 2023 following the death of frontman Tom Verlaine.

— Jaeden Pinder, Rolling Stone, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of intermittent

Adjective

In a rare move, the chipmaker provided a revenue growth outlook for fiscal 2028 that forecast annual sales to increase 70% from the prior year.

— Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
Within the Milky Way, astronomers have so far identified roughly 100 stellar stream candidates shed by globular clusters, but finding one around another galaxy is extraordinarily rare.

— Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of rare

Adjective

Officials are still investigating the exact cause, though preliminary assessments suggest an ice avalanche may have blocked a river upstream in Tibet, triggering the sudden outburst flood.

— Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
The concierge can be contacted via WhatsApp, but response times can be slow during varying rush hours; for example, a sudden tropical rainstorm might inspire half the resort to call in for room service.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of sudden

Adjective

Beyond the shores of their isolated rock, animals like otters and orcas appear between the waves.

— Zachary Fletcher, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
Many of these high-fiber candies use isolated fibers, such as inulin, chicory root, soluble corn fiber, and other prebiotics.

— Amber Raiken, Verywell Health, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of isolated

Adjective

While his batting order remains unchanged, the team has made an unusual move, relocating Guerrero's locker to a new spot.

— Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Land exchanges are common elsewhere in the federal government, but exchanging National Park Service land for private development access is unusual, NOTUS reported, citing a former park service official.

— Annie Palmer, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of unusual

Adjective

Unopened soy sauce can be stored in the pantry, but once opened, refrigeration is recommended for infrequent use to maintain quality.

— Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 28 Aug. 2026
The initiative aims to reach 5 million low-wage, infrequent voters, particularly across the South and in battleground states.

— Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of infrequent

Browse Nearby Words

occasion

occasional

occasionally

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“Occasional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/occasional. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of occasional

adjective

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