chance 1 of 3

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in probability
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
as in venture
a risky undertaking it's a chance, but I think the business will be profitable

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

chance

2 of 3

adjective

chance

3 of 3

verb

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 chance
Noun
Galvan hit a pair of free throws that tied the score 64-64, but Prosper hit a second-chance layup assisted by Hidalgo to put the Irish back in front. Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 27 Mar. 2026 Jensen was terrific in September and has earned a chance to split time behind the plate with star Salvador Perez. Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
The Aztecs left too much to chance by not winning enough winnable games. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2026 After a night of severe storms, Louisville will see winter weather return with cold temperatures and snow chances March 16, according to the latest forecast from the National Weather Service in Louisville. Caroline Neal, Louisville Courier Journal, 16 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for chance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chance
Noun
  • Reed had some luck in the low post, but the Blue Devils also started to double him, slowing his production.
    Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 30 Mar. 2026
  • Some states have had far more lottery luck than others.
    Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The rapid proliferation of art biennials in the ’90s gave them plenty of opportunities and reflected a world reorganizing itself after the Cold War.
    Daniel Birnbaum, Artforum, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Shamet was fouled on the play and missed the and-one free throw, but second-year backup big man Ariel Hukporti grabbed the offensive rebound to create a second shot opportunity.
    Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 2 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The probability of lightning strikes rises as a thunderstorm approaches and peaks when the storm is directly above.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Last week, futures traders briefly pushed the probability of a rate increase by the end of 2026 to 52%.
    Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 31 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The venture set to launch April 1 is a historic undertaking — one that will send the first Black man, first woman and first Canadian on a journey that will take them farther from Earth than any other human trip.
    Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Later, at the high-end Ned’s Club, venture capitalists rubbed shoulders with defense officials.
    Bloomberg, Mercury News, 30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • The latest data leak is potentially more damaging to Anthropic than the earlier accidental exposure of the company’s draft blog post about its forthcoming model.
    Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Each accidental catch potentially removes an animal that was alive before the Industrial Revolution.
    Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Attempts to resolve ecological responsibility through strict localism often risk sliding into cultural provincialism or nationalist enclosure—fantasies of purity that ignore how deeply entangled our lives already are.
    Manuela Moscoso, Artforum, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Be sure to weigh costs, storage needs and risk tolerance before making a decision.
    USA TODAY, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • When not giddily tearing apart the rom-com – a key conversation between Charlie and Emma happens in the trope-iest of cinematic eateries, a diner – Borgli asks really major thematic questions with his controversial subject matter.
    Brian Truitt, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek held a press conference three hours after the crash and detailed what happened.
    Megan Armstrong, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The agency’s Major Collision Investigation Unit detectives and crime scene investigators took over the case, and the circumstances of the crash remain under investigation.
    Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 28 Mar. 2026
  • No further details were released on the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
    Elyssa Kaufman, CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Chance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chance. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on chance

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster