serendipitously

American  

[ser-uhn-dip-i-tuhs-lee] / ˌsɛr ənˈdɪp ɪ təs li /

adverb

1. by chance or accident.

   After weeks of looking for a wedding dress, I serendipitously ran into an old friend who owns a formalwear store.

2. it is fortunate that; luckily.

   Serendipitously we arrived in town when there was a lull in traffic.

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Etymology

Origin of serendipitously

serendipitous ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

Vital moments of connection with kids happen serendipitously.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 2, 2025

"When we are at a cafe, if I suddenly say it's time to go now, the kids know we immediately leave quietly, because I've spotted someone serendipitously recording us."

From BBC • Sep. 8, 2025

Outbursts of such short duration can only be captured serendipitously when an observatory is already pointing in the right direction.

From Science Daily • Apr. 24, 2024

What began as a long and winding road for Wass to track down the bass picked up speed when Jones serendipitously joined the hunt after seeing McCartney headline the Glastonbury Festival in 2022.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 16, 2024

During the summer of 1955 Bobby serendipitously happened upon a gathering place for chess aficionados and, in so doing, raised his game to a whole new level.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady