Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

by chance

Idioms  
  1. Casually, accidentally, as in I ran into Bill purely by chance. [c. 1300] Also see by coincidence.


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“I am not Epstein’s victim. Epstein did not introduce me to Donald Trump. I met my husband, by chance, at a New York City party in 1998,” she said.

From Salon • Apr. 9, 2026

Some are capitalists, some are communists, but we’re all Cubans, divided by chance, circumstance and the sea.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

There was one statistically significant result out of the dozens of tests they ran, which is about what we’d expect to see purely by chance.

From Slate • Mar. 5, 2026

The couple met by chance when they were on separate walks along the South West Coast Path in 2011, and ended up married three years later.

From BBC • Feb. 2, 2026

The answer lies in determining the probability of doing this well or better by chance.

From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos