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
Examples 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
Executives have pointed to pushback against higher prices as one reason why occasional customers have stopped visiting its locations as often.
—
Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 31 Oct. 2024
Staying in touch: Send occasional check-ins, updates, or tips to keep your business top of mind.
—Melissa Houston, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
The army has returned to several areas of Gaza multiple times after previous operations, as Hamas continues to carry out hit-and-run attacks on troops and fire occasional rockets into Israel.
—Wafaa Shurafa and Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024
Sleep deprivation is the most obvious factor, with nothing but occasional micronaps available for several days.
—Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for occasional 
Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 31 Oct. 2024
Staying in touch: Send occasional check-ins, updates, or tips to keep your business top of mind.
—Melissa Houston, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
The army has returned to several areas of Gaza multiple times after previous operations, as Hamas continues to carry out hit-and-run attacks on troops and fire occasional rockets into Israel.
—Wafaa Shurafa and Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024
Sleep deprivation is the most obvious factor, with nothing but occasional micronaps available for several days.
—Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 4 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for occasional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for occasional
Adjective
-
Haze — a cousin of drum legend Buddy Rich — went on to appear in Corman’s 1963 films The Terror and X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes and would have sporadic film and TV roles culminating with the 2010 gangland drama feature Nobody Smiling.Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 4 Nov. 2024
-
Popular on Variety As for adult viewers, they may be engrossed during the sporadic stretches of middling suspense, and impressed by the striking cinematography of Idan Menin, which greatly enhances the movie’s overall impact.Joe Leydon, Variety, 1 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
That’s where Laddie Coburn struck an odd juxtaposition to the traffic jam on West Agate Avenue.Katie Langford, The Denver Post, 10 Nov. 2024
-
The luxury sedan with the odd name is for buyers with about $80,000 (with all options) to spend and who are considering a break from status quo.James Raia, The Mercury News, 10 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
This presented significant challenges to utilities because of the intermittent nature of renewable energy.Greg Robinson, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
-
Plus: Expect intermittent closures of Pennsylvania Avenue between the 2200-2400 blocks on Monday.Mike D'Onofrio, Axios, 1 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
Because of its class-leading functionality, polish, and usability, Photoshop earns a rare five-star rating and our Editors' Choice award.PCMAG, PCMAG, 12 Nov. 2024
-
This is the rare case that law enforcement wanted to go viral.Aja Romano, Vox, 11 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
Overall, this has led to a sudden surge in inventory in both Austin and Texas in general.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
-
Since the intelligence agencies do not usually bother to debunk such individual bits of false propaganda, the sudden flurry of public notifications indicates the severity of the threat that U.S. spies now see in the underlying Russian plot against the election.The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
The rain Sunday will follow systems that dropped some rain on the region Monday, a bit less on Wednesday and a couple of isolated cells — a quarter-inch on Mount Diablo; about fifteen-hundredths of an inch in Dublin, five-hundredths of an inch in Oakland — on Thursday.Rick Hurd, The Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2024
-
And because the two isolated genes are found in many other plant species, similar genetic editing may help improve other agricultural staples in the future.Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 14 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
In 2016, a record-low voter turnout of 55% — an unusual milestone for an island known for high voter turnouts of 73% to 89% — as well as low numbers in the 2020 election signaled growing voter dissatisfaction with the two main parties amid the island’s financial crisis and recent natural disasters.Nicole Acevedo, NBC News, 6 Nov. 2024
-
It's more accurately seen as a return to the township's Republican norm, after one unusual term with a Democrat in charge.Bill Laytner, Detroit Free Press, 6 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
In the final weeks of this knife’s edge presidential campaign, the sprint to the finish line has come down to swaying the small slice of undecided or infrequent voters who could tip the balance.Meghan McCarron, Bon Appétit, 29 Oct. 2024
-
It’s intended for apps that have a one-time or infrequent need to access some photos or videos.Ewan Spence, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near occasional
Cite this Entry
“Occasional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/occasional. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share