occasional
adjective
oc·ca·sion·al
ə-ˈkā-zh(ə-)nəl 
1
a
: of or relating to a particular occasion
a budget able to meet occasional demands as well as regular ones
b
: created for a particular occasion
occasional verse
occasional music
2
: acting as the occasion or contributing cause of something
occasional causes for creating apparent effects
3
: encountered, occurring, appearing, or taken at irregular or infrequent intervals
occasional visitors
an occasional vacation
found occasional errors
occasional episodes of chest pain
4
: acting in a specified capacity from time to time
an occasional lecturer
an occasional essayist
5
: designed or constructed to be used as the occasion demands
occasional furniture
Examples of occasional in a Sentence
She receives occasional phone calls from her mother.
There will be occasional showers during the morning.
Most mornings, we'll see deer or the occasional bear walking past our house.
He tells an occasional joke to keep his students interested.
I need to take occasional breaks from work.
Sure, I drink an occasional glass of wine from time to time.
She's an occasional lecturer at the university.
Recent Examples on the Web
And non-alcohol drinks are available from The New Bar, known for its zero-proof cocktails, beers, wines, and the occasional fancy soda.
—
David Hochman, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
Initially, MacGregor's character was supposed to make only occasional appearances, but she was promoted to series regular after her performance was so well-received.
—Alexandra Schonfeld, People.com, 5 Apr. 2025
The show is thrilling as a sensory experience, humming with sinister percussive beats and the occasional muffled animal squawk in the distance.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2025
Appropriately Murrow-furrowed, Clooney presents the journalist as a downcast, contemplative, dedicated journalist with an occasional flash of dry wit — and even a bit of warmth.
—Frank Rizzo, Variety, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for occasional
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David Hochman, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
Initially, MacGregor's character was supposed to make only occasional appearances, but she was promoted to series regular after her performance was so well-received.
—Alexandra Schonfeld, People.com, 5 Apr. 2025
The show is thrilling as a sensory experience, humming with sinister percussive beats and the occasional muffled animal squawk in the distance.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2025
Appropriately Murrow-furrowed, Clooney presents the journalist as a downcast, contemplative, dedicated journalist with an occasional flash of dry wit — and even a bit of warmth.
—Frank Rizzo, Variety, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for occasional
Cite this Entry
“Occasional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/occasional. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
occasional
adjective
oc·ca·sion·al
ə-ˈkāzh-nəl
-ən-ᵊl
1
: of, relating to, or created for a particular occasion
occasional verse
2
: happening, appearing, or met with now and then
an occasional visitor
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