occasional
Americanadjective
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occurring or appearing at irregular or infrequent intervals; occurring now and then.
an occasional headache.
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intended for supplementary use when needed.
an occasional chair.
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pertaining to, arising out of, or intended for the occasion.
occasional verses.
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acting or serving for the occasion or only on particular occasions.
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serving as the occasion or incidental cause.
adjective
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taking place from time to time; not frequent or regular
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of, for, or happening on special occasions
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serving as an occasion (for something)
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of occasional
Explanation
When something happens from time to time on an irregular basis, we say it is an occasional occurrence. For example, you might have an occasional lunch with a friend. If your friend ever picked up the bill, maybe it would happen more often. Occasional is a few steps removed from the Latin cadere, "to fall." So you might think of something occasional as something that happens "to fall" just whenever it happens to fall. Speaking of falling, Voltaire once wrote, "The best government is a benevolent tyranny tempered by an occasional assassination." An occasional election might do in a pinch.
Vocabulary lists containing occasional
The Cay
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Bridge to Terabithia
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Island of the Blue Dolphins
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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.
What you will find are the lovable supporting actors of the meat world: skirt steak, pork riblets, chuck roast, spicy sausage, the occasional coil of chorizo.
From Salon • May 22, 2026
He has already won a lasting place in the line of such raspy-voiced singer-songwriters as Bob Dylan, John Prine, Bruce Springsteen and Steve Earle, pivoting between acoustic, folk-influenced country and occasional pounding rock.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026
Skeletal evidence showed signs of childhood stress, joint wear, and occasional injuries, suggesting physically demanding lifestyles.
From Science Daily • May 19, 2026
A ceasefire agreed in April meant to facilitate talks has largely been observed despite occasional exchanges of fire.
From BBC • May 18, 2026
For a while the only sounds were the scrabbling of their boots over the rocks, their own harsh breathing, and the occasional belch or bellow from an elephant seal.
From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
