C1adjective2K

Occasional

UK /["/əˈkeɪʒənl/"]/US /["/əˈkeɪʒənl/"]/

Definition

happening or done sometimes but not often

In simple words: happening sometimes but not often

Examples

  • She makes occasional trips to the countryside to relax.
  • He only drinks wine on occasional social occasions.
  • The company has occasional layoffs depending on market conditions.
  • Occasional rain showers are expected throughout the afternoon.
  • There were occasional bursts of applause during the concert.

Usage notes

Use 'occasional' to describe something that happens at irregular intervals. It is appropriate in both spoken and written contexts but is more common in written language than casual conversation.

Grammar pattern

standalone adjective

Memory hint

Think of 'occasion' - it’s like a special event that doesn’t happen all the time.

Collocations

  • occasional meeting
  • occasional visitor
  • occasional rain

Synonyms

  • intermittent
  • sporadic
  • infrequent
  • rare

Antonyms

  • frequent
  • regular
  • constant

Common mistakes

  • Confusing 'occasional' with 'frequent', thinking they mean the same.
  • Using 'occasionally' incorrectly with uncountable nouns.
  • 'Occasional' should not be used with words that imply regularity, like 'every day'.