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

Relevance

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 Every organization in the league, every organization throughout professional sports, all the way down to youth rec leagues, have to deal with occasional bad behavior from spectators. — ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026 Analysts point out that no one is immune to the occasional flop. — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 30 Sep. 2026 Can creators turn occasional viewers into returning community members? — Dor Isseroff, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026 Washington, for example, thinks that occasional attacks will ensure that Tehran can never fully regenerate its military or develop nuclear weapons. — Ali Vaez, Foreign Affairs, 29 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for occasional

Recent Examples of Synonyms for occasional

Adjective

That said, devolving tropical storms can pack a punch with sporadic gusts and showers as the energy that was formerly bundled in the storm’s center releases outward.

— Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 8 Oct. 2026
There were sporadic film entries from the 1970s on, but most of Saint’s work during that era (and well into the 2000s) would be for television.

— Greg Evans, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of sporadic

Adjective

Small Prophets This tiny, pleasantly odd British comedy from the creator of Detectorists stars Pearce Quigley and Michael Palin.

— Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
Their mother took up odd jobs to make extra money, Porrata said, including making and selling pizzas and doing hair from home.

— Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of odd

Adjective

There are still intermittent closures and construction connected to recovery projects, and the park service recommends consulting the road status section of its website when traveling to the region.

— Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026
My prototype suffered from intermittent rolling resistance with the motor off.

— Thomas Ricker, The Verge, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of intermittent

Adjective

Children—a rare sight at Trancoso’s small, intimate pousadas but welcome here—are kept busy by a discreet army of private nannies and hotel monitors.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Because Justice Samuel Alito recused himself from the case, an eight-person bench will decide the case for the Supreme Court, leaving open the possibility of a rare 4-4 deadlock.

— Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of rare

Adjective

There’s a fascinating synchronicity between the current real-world anxiety and the film industry’s sudden interest in dense studies of the tech world’s dark underbelly.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026
Other symptoms include sudden high fever and chills, headaches, and pain in the abdomen, legs and arms, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

— ABC News, ABC News, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of sudden

Adjective

Tornadoes An isolated risk for tornadoes will begin Friday night in coastal areas of Alabama, the Florida Panhandle and far southwestern Georgia.

— MIAMI HERALD HURRICANE BOT, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026
Though a Metro-North station in Poughkeepsie was only a 10-minute drive away, the train ride was longer, and being across the river made the house feel more isolated.

— Gabe Castro-Root, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of isolated

Adjective

Atomic hydrogen’s unusual reactivity could potentially be useful in other areas of organic chemistry and, over the longer term, biological sciences.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 9 Oct. 2026
The unusual diversion also led to discussion among travelers online, some of whom shared their own experiences with restroom problems aboard flights.

— Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of unusual

Adjective

Diverse characters made infrequent appearances, their storylines often tied to hardship rather than joy.

— Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 22 Sep. 2026
Clearing the uncertainty Neutron capture reactions are difficult to measure directly because recreating stellar conditions in the laboratory is hard; the reactions are infrequent, and the nuclei involved are short-lived.

— Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of infrequent

Browse Nearby Words

occasion

occasional

occasionally

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Occasional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/occasional. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of occasional

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Luddite

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes