occurrence

[uh-kur-uhns, uh-kuhr-]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR occurrence ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the action, fact, or instance of occurring.

something that happens; event; incident: We were delayed by several unexpected occurrences.

Origin of occurrence

1530–40; occurr(ent) + -ence; compare Medieval Latin occurrentia

Related formsoc·cur·rent, adjectivepre·oc·cur·rence, nounre·oc·cur·rence, noun

Synonyms for occurrence

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR occurrence ON THESAURUS.COM

2. circumstance. See event.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for occurrences

accident, existence, circumstance, incidence, instance, incident, manifestation, situation, episode, affair, transaction, materialization, emergency, exigency, routine, appearance, scene, juncture, thing, state

Examples from the Web for occurrences

Contemporary Examples of occurrences

Refinery management had normalized the occurrences of hazardous conditions.
Oil Tankers Leaking into Seattle’s Water
Bill Conroy
October 13, 2014
That evening I took my usual walk in Washington Park, pondering over the occurrences of the day.
Read ‘The King in Yellow,’ the ‘True Detective’ Reference That’s the Key to the Show
Robert W. Chambers
February 20, 2014
Too often schools rely on victims to come forward, which is why occurrences are so under-reported.
Breaking the Silence Over Campus Rapes
Emily Shire
January 23, 2014
But Carrillo says that since Lopez cleansed the former nightclub the occurrences have stopped.
True Life: I’m a Part-Time Ghost Hunter
Christine Pelisek
September 15, 2013
From landing dream jobs to unfortunate demises, The Daily Beast lists much more likely occurrences.
15 Things More Likely to Happen than Winning Mega Millions
Andrew Carter
March 30, 2012

Historical Examples of occurrences

Occurrences such as this, were afterwards of too frequent recurrence.
Chronicles of Border Warfare
Alexander Scott Withers
The occurrences of the day bear all of them the stamp of facetiousness.
The Comic Latin Grammar
Percival Leigh
This was shown by the two occurrences reported on June 23, 1917.
The Story of the Great War, Volume VI (of VIII)
Various
Nor were these the only occurrences of which the glen was that night the witness.
The O'Donoghue
Charles James Lever
But this was after Christmas, and in the meantime other occurrences had taken place.
Is He Popenjoy?
Anthony Trollope

British Dictionary definitions for occurrences

occurrence

noun

something that occurs; a happening; event

the act or an instance of occurringa crime of frequent occurrence

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for occurrences

occurrence

1530s, from Middle French occurrence "unexpected happening" or directly from Medieval Latin occurrentia, from Latin occurentem (nominative occurens), present participle of occurrere (see occur).