chances 1 of 2

plural of chance
1
2
as in opportunities
a favorable combination of circumstances, time, and place this is my one chance to succeed

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in probabilities
a measure of how often an event will occur instead of another the chance of being struck by lightning is very low

Synonyms & Similar Words

4

chances

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of chance

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 chances
Noun
Each of us takes about twenty thousand breaths every single day—twenty thousand chances for the air around us to either sustain life or to quietly harm it. Bill Frist, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025 Better chances for more widespread showers and thunderstorms will come on Thursday and Friday. Kansas City Star, 17 Sep. 2025 Trump has already taken unprecedented steps to try to maintain his party's grip on Congress by pushing Republican governors and lawmakers in Texas and other states to redraw their congressional lines before the next census to help Republicans' chances in the House. Joey Garrison, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2025 But if the bullpen can't get its act together by October, the Dodgers will soon be kissing their chances at a repeat championship goodbye. Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Sep. 2025 Investors peg the chances of a quarter-point rate cut this month at about 90% and the odds of a half-point cut at nearly 10%, according to CME FedWatch Tool, a measure of market sentiment. Max Zahn, ABC News, 11 Sep. 2025 Former Brevard County School Board Member Jennifer Jenkins is launching a longshot Democratic bid for Marco Rubio’s former Senate seat — and hoping the polarizing prospect of bringing independents into the party’s primary will strengthen her chances. Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 10 Sep. 2025 But building a multi-purpose stadium at Burnham Yard gives the Front Range many more chances to prove it — and on the largest stages imaginable. Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 10 Sep. 2025 McAfee wanted to know what Gillis thought of Notre Dame’s chances to go all the way. Pete Sampson, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
Daily chances for showers and storms continue throughout the weekend. Kansas City Star, 17 Sep. 2025 However, chances the storm will form within the next 48 hours remain near zero. Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025 Thunderstorms chances drop on Thursday through the weekend (chances at 5% or below). Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 28 Aug. 2025 Storm chances increase throughout the week, with a possibility of heavy rain in some areas and a blowing dust advisory in effect for parts of Pinal County and southeast Phoenix. Hayleigh Evans, AZCentral.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chances
Noun
  • The second and third matches are due to be played on Friday and Sunday, but the luck of the Irish may desert them with those grey skies in Dublin.
    Tim Ellis, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
  • Leavitt isn't the only Secret Lives of Mormon Wives and MomTok veteran to try her luck on the ballroom this season.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 17 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The research pointed to new opportunities for clean energy.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 19 Sep. 2025
  • The schools that win will signal where education is heading — and where the opportunities lie.
    Jaime Catmull, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Investors can either position themselves before the announcement based on previous probabilities or wait to take advantage of post-earnings movements in the days that follow.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
  • From there, traders are assigning a better than 70% chance of cuts in both October and December, according to the CME Group's FedWatch Tool, which gauges rate cut probabilities using 30-day fed funds futures contract prices.
    Jeff Cox, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The serial businessman has stakes in the Washington Commanders, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Sparks, the Los Angeles Football Club and the Washington Spirit, among other business ventures.
    Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 14 Sep. 2025
  • Her bold spirit and belief in God's guidance have propelled her to pursue various impactful ventures.
    Jonathan Limehouse, USA Today, 13 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • But even the right approach to the right problem risks failure if not properly executed.
    Joel Thayer, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Sep. 2025
  • The drama follows a 12-year-old Palestinian boy who risks his life to go to the beach for the first time in Tel Aviv.
    Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • What happens when the new story of Britain collides with an older one?
    Will Collins, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2025
  • This happens when water in front of the tire builds up faster than the vehicle's weight can push water out of the way.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The glue can also lead to less invasive surgery, as, under some circumstances, smaller incisions could be required.
    Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 13 Sep. 2025
  • People grow, circumstances shift, and unexpected challenges arise.
    Allen Buchanan, Oc Register, 13 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The big gambles on AI are paying off.
    Rachel Ventresca, Fortune, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Nike's new shift to align with Kim Kardashian for their women's primer product rather than an elite woman athlete reveals a new strategy and gambles that the trend in hyper-feminism aspiration is more representative of their current female customer base.
    C200, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Chances.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chances. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.

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