chance 1 of 3

1
2
as in opportunity
a favorable combination of circumstances, time, and place this is my one chance to succeed

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in probability
a measure of how often an event will occur instead of another the chance of being struck by lightning is very low

Synonyms & Similar Words

4
as in venture
a risky undertaking it's a chance, but I think the business will be profitable

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

chance

2 of 3

adjective

chance

3 of 3

verb

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of chance
Noun
Her maternal instinct duly soothed and her savior complex fulfilled, Laura is ready to give Cherry a chance. Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025 Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve could’ve wanted to use the regular season finale as a chance to get others more minutes and allow her stars some rest just days before the postseason begins. Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
From conviction to chance at release The Menendez brothers were sentenced in 1996 to life without the possibility of parole for the 1989 killings of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, in the family’s Beverly Hills mansion. Stepheny Price , Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2025 Our message to New Yorkers, however, is simple: don’t leave your legacy to chance. Marco Villegas, New York Daily News, 11 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for chance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chance
Noun
  • With any luck, it will someday be reversed, like other famous examples of Supreme Court decisions that reflected prejudice against African-Americans, Japanese-Americans, and others.
    Noah Feldman, Mercury News, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Rather than hang out with the two old hags, Cherry decides to try her luck on the stand-up paddleboards with Brigitte and Daniel, but quickly loses her balance.
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The company is where the customer pain is sharpest, but Lerner sees a much larger opportunity.
    Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Look for opportunities to plug CCU into existing processes with minimal disruption.
    Peter Bendor-Samuel, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • It's built on probability and cold, hard data—not vision, values or anticipation.
    Jon Michail, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • The probability of lightning strikes rises as a thunderstorm approaches and peaks when the storm is directly above.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Analysts noted the backlog, which includes the $500 billion Stargate supercomputer venture with SoftBank and OpenAI, makes Oracle’s long-term revenue targets highly achievable.
    Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Yet just a fraction of 1% are building the kinds of technology ventures that attract institutional capital.
    Gelila, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Police determined the injury was accidental and not child abuse.
    Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The sound does much of the work in action sequences obscured by blinding snowstorms and flashing emergency lights, punctuated by creative acts of accidental self-harm that save our protagonists from certain death more than once.
    Katie Rife, IndieWire, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Civil liberties campaigners across Britain and beyond swiftly condemned the designation, warning that applying terrorism laws to such a group risks chilling free speech and assembly, while also setting a dangerous precedent for protest rights.
    Kara Fox, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2025
  • With the country leaning in a Republican direction, donors could be less apt to risk donating to Biden.
    Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 6 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The other end of the spectrum are breaks that happen when a single application of force is applied to the bone.
    Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • What is happening with auto loan defaults?
    Betty Lin-Fisher, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Readers should not rely solely on the content of this article and are encouraged to seek professional advice tailored to their specific circumstances.
    Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Jones asserted that exigent circumstances warranted the shortening of the 15-day notice window.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 12 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Chance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chance. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.

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