occasional

[uh-key-zhuh-nl]

adjective

1. occurring or appearing at irregular or infrequent intervals; occurring now and then.

   an occasional headache.

2. intended for supplementary use when needed.

   an occasional chair.

3. pertaining to, arising out of, or intended for the occasion.

   occasional verses.

4. acting or serving for the occasion or only on particular occasions.

5. serving as the occasion or incidental cause.

occasional

/ əˈkeɪʒənəl /

adjective

1. taking place from time to time; not frequent or regular

2. of, for, or happening on special occasions

3. serving as an occasion (for something)

Other Word Forms

• occasionalness noun
• occasionality noun
• unoccasional adjective
• unoccasionally adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of occasional¹

First recorded in 1560–70; occasion + -al ¹

Example Sentences

There was the occasional billboard outside airports, and those increased in number once you got nearer to the grounds, but otherwise it was very low-key.

Read more on BBC

And despite occasional disappointments, a spate of earnings from the so-called Magnificent Seven—which also includes Alphabet, Amazon.com, Meta Platforms and Tesla—helped the Nasdaq finish October 4.7% higher.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Antisemitism in America hasn’t been the occasional result of a few bad apples.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

His red T-shirt stated plainly, “I AM UNDOCUMENTED,” and his aviator sunglasses hid the occasional tears.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“While the vast majority of TSA’s nationwide operations remain minimally impacted by the government shutdown, occasional delays at some security checkpoints are to be expected,” a spokesperson for the agency said.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• casual 
• infrequent 
• intermittent 
• odd 
• particular 
• random 
• rare 
• unusual