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
In addition to the occasional energy vortex, Sedona is said to be a UFO sighting hot spot.
—
Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 4 Feb. 2026
Ibuprofen is well-studied and a better option for occasional, faster relief, whereas turmeric may work as part of a daily regimen but has less evidence to support its use.
—Sara Hoffman, Verywell Health, 4 Feb. 2026
Draft picks, smart veteran additions around the edges, the occasional splash a la Davante Adams.
—Adam Grosbard, Oc Register, 4 Feb. 2026
Certainly, as too many prizefighters like the now-48-year-old and occasional exhibition-bout-fighting Floyd Mayweather have learned the hard way, not paying attention to the money and the purse has consequences above and beyond the fine print in or out of your prime.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for occasional
Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 4 Feb. 2026
Ibuprofen is well-studied and a better option for occasional, faster relief, whereas turmeric may work as part of a daily regimen but has less evidence to support its use.
—Sara Hoffman, Verywell Health, 4 Feb. 2026
Draft picks, smart veteran additions around the edges, the occasional splash a la Davante Adams.
—Adam Grosbard, Oc Register, 4 Feb. 2026
Certainly, as too many prizefighters like the now-48-year-old and occasional exhibition-bout-fighting Floyd Mayweather have learned the hard way, not paying attention to the money and the purse has consequences above and beyond the fine print in or out of your prime.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for occasional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for occasional
Adjective
-
During Galliano’s tenure, Maison Margiela shows were sporadic.—
Miles Socha,
Footwear News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
However, sporadic light supplementation means that adjusting fertilizer use is sensible if plant growth slows.—
Gemma Johnstone,
The Spruce,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
But we were left with an odd bitterness and powdery feeling in our mouths after eating the testing pieces.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Tyler Mahle had his first reasonably healthy season since 2022 and, despite some odd underlying metrics, prevented runs.—
Justice delos Santos,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
How the Study Worked In the study, 72 inactive adults with panic disorder who weren’t taking medications as treatment completed a 12-week program of brief intermittent intense exercise or relaxation training.—
Tom Gavin,
EverydayHealth.com,
11 Feb. 2026
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Due to its durability and rapid response time, the team expects the technology to be used to stabilize power grids and manage the intermittent output of renewable energy sources.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Mass shootings are rare in Canada, a country with much stricter gun laws than the US, and school shootings of this scale are almost unheard of.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
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Because the foxes in the Sierra Nevada are isolated from their relatives living in the Lassen Peak area, the collaring of this fox offers scientists a rare opportunity to better understand the ecology and conservation needs of this remote group.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Instead of analyzing every detail in a scene, the human brain quickly detects sudden motion or change and reacts first.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Demand for cross-border relocation, residency planning and citizenship consultancy services is being driven by geopolitical tensions and sudden policy shifts, advisers who work with ultra-high-net-worth clients told CNBC.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Tuesday may see some isolated flurries early and partly sunny skies during the day, reaching a high in the low 40s, forecasts show.—
Grace Zokovitch,
Boston Herald,
16 Feb. 2026
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Light rain was predicted for the Sacramento region starting Sunday morning ahead of a low pressure system coming ashore in the evening that was expected to bring heavier rain, isolated thunderstorms, wind and heavy snow.—
Emilie Stigliani,
Sacbee.com,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
That unusual role for a spy chief raised additional questions from Democrats on the House and Senate intelligence committees.—
DAVID KLEPPER THE ASSOCIATED PRESS,
Arkansas Online,
5 Feb. 2026
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What was unusual, in Lublin’s view, was for Bessent to reveal his thoughts on monetary policy — normally the purview of the Federal Reserve — and his insistence that Trump has the right to interfere with the decision-making of the central bank.—
Fatima Hussein,
Fortune,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The results suggest that passionate love is a widespread but infrequent experience for individuals, the authors write.—
Allison Parshall,
Scientific American,
14 Feb. 2026
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Galanti said that uncertainty is why infrequent travelers are often more prone to anxiety than experienced ones.—
Zach Wichter,
USA Today,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Occasional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/occasional. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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