Vocabulary in context
SAT Vocabulary Workbook
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Occasional
Happening or appearing only from time to time; not regular or frequent.
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Imagine This
Imagine a town where a street musician plays once in a blue moon, then vanishes for several weeks. The performances are occasional—the music comes and goes, not on a fixed schedule.
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Sounds Like
uh-KAY-zhuh-nuhl
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Looks Like
Looks like 'occasion' or 'occasionally'—sharing the same root related to time.
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Remember This
Occasional describes events that occur sporadically; related forms include 'occasion' (a time or event) and 'occasionally' (adverb).
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Other Forms
occasionallyadverb
occasionalitynoun
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Connect With
sporadic, infrequent, intermittent, irregular, periodic
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Note
Spelling tip: occasional has two c's and one s. Common pitfall: avoid using it to mean something is frequent or habitual.
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Study Deeper
Examples
- The museum offers occasional lectures on astronomy.
- She makes an occasional visit to the coffee shop.
Synonyms
sporadicinfrequentintermittentperiodic
Antonyms
frequentconstantregular
Etymology
From Latin occasio 'opportunity, favorable time', via Old French occasion, meaning a favorable time or opportunity.
Mnemonic
On Occasion + al: remember that occasional means something that happens on occasion, not regularly.
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Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Infrequent
adjectiveOccurring or done rarely; not frequent.
Intermittent
adjectiveCeasing for short periods and starting again; not continuous.
Abstruse
adjectiveDifficult to understand; obscure or highly complex.
Accidental
adjectiveHappening by chance or without deliberate planning; not intended. In music, it is also a noun for a symbol that temporarily alters a pitch.
Acerbic
adjectiveSharp or biting in tone or taste; caustic or mordant in manner.
Acquiescent
adjectiveReady to agree or approve without protest; compliant.
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