chance
Americannoun
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the absence of any cause of events that can be predicted, understood, or controlled: often personified or treated as a positive agency.
Chance governs all.
- Antonyms:
- necessity
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luck or fortune.
a game of chance.
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a possibility or probability of anything happening.
a fifty-percent chance of success.
- Synonyms:
- contingency
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an opportune or favorable time; opportunity.
Now is your chance.
- Synonyms:
- opening
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Baseball. an opportunity to field the ball and make a putout or an assist.
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a risk or hazard.
Take a chance.
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a share or ticket in a lottery or prize drawing.
The charity is selling chances for a dollar each.
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chances, probability.
The chances are that the train hasn't left yet.
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Midland and Southern U.S. a quantity or number (usually followed byof ).
a fine chance of tomatoes, harvested fresh from the garden today.
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Archaic. an unfortunate event; mishap.
verb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
adjective
verb phrase
idioms
-
on the off chance, in the very slight hope or against the very slight possibility.
I’m free Friday, on the off chance that you end up with a spare ticket to the concert.
-
on the chance, in the mild hope or against the possibility.
I'll wait on the chance that she'll come.
-
by chance, without plan or intent; accidentally.
I met her again by chance in a department store in Paris.
noun
-
-
the unknown and unpredictable element that causes an event to result in a certain way rather than another, spoken of as a real force
-
( as modifier )
a chance meeting
-
-
fortune; luck; fate
-
an opportunity or occasion
-
a risk; gamble
you take a chance with his driving
-
the extent to which an event is likely to occur; probability
-
an unpredicted event, esp a fortunate one
that was quite a chance, finding him here
-
archaic an unlucky event; mishap
-
-
accidentally
he slipped by chance
-
perhaps
do you by chance have a room?
-
-
it is likely (that) …
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acting on the possibility; in case
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the opportunity for personal gain (esp in the phrase an eye to the main chance )
verb
-
(tr) to risk; hazard
I'll chance the worst happening
-
to happen by chance; be the case by chance
I chanced to catch sight of her as she passed
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to come upon by accident
he chanced on the solution to his problem
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to attempt to do something although the chance of success may be slight
Related Words
See happen.
Other Word Forms
- chanceful adjective
- chanceless adjective
- unchanced adjective
Etymology
Origin of chance
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English chaunce, chance, chea(u)nce, from Old French chance, cheance from unattested Vulgar Latin cadentia “a befalling, happening”; cadenza
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The combination of high sugar and fat increases the chances of developing type 2 diabetes, obesity, and metabolic disease.
From Science Daily
Birmingham defeated Venice 6-0 for the chance to play the Royals on Thursday.
From Los Angeles Times
The '80s star, known for his role in Neighbours and a string of UK chart hits, said the concerts offer fans their "last chance" to see him perform in this way.
From BBC
Expanding service areas gives companies a chance to build leverage with suppliers and offer goods at lower prices, a potential boon to shoppers.
Mystery vandals have caused almost £40,000 worth of damage to the machines by covering them in glue – weeks before they have had the chance to collect a single charge.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
