1
as in to encounter
to come upon face-to-face or as if face-to-face
chanced upon my archenemy as I rounded a corner
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to find
to come upon unexpectedly or by chance
I chanced upon your mother in the grocery store yesterday
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chance (upon)
Verb
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The investigating vessels encountered three Chinese coast guard vessels, whose movements became increasingly confrontational as their South Korean counterparts neared their destination at about 2:30 p.m. February 26, according to media accounts.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025 -
The server encountered a temporary error and could not complete your request.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
16 Apr. 2025
Verb
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With Mark Scheifele and Connor cycling on the outside, trying desperately to find a chance in the middle, Iafallo drove to the net and jumped on a Scheifele rebound, scoring the game-tying goal while off balance in the slot.—
Jeremy Rutherford,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2025
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Those few minutes sent students scrambling for cover and barricading themselves around campus until authorities found them.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
20 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The Hall of Fame voting panel will meet May 20 in Charlotte and determine the Class of 2026.—
Shane Connuck,
Charlotte Observer,
22 Apr. 2025
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In February 2024, Francis met with the trustees of the University of Notre Dame, a Catholic institution in Indiana.—
Zachary Schermele,
USA Today,
22 Apr. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Chance (upon).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chance%20%28upon%29. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
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