chance

/tʃæns/

Reviewed on

Also a verb and an adjective

Meaning

  1. A possibility of something happening, especially something desirable.

    • There is a slight chance of rain later this afternoon.

    • Do you think we have any chance of winning the contract?

  2. An opportune or favorable time to do something.

    • She took the chance to ask the speaker a direct question.

    • Never pass up a chance like this one.

  3. The occurrence of events in the absence of any obvious design or intentional cause.

    • Pure chance brought the two former classmates together at the airport terminal.

    • Was the discovery a result of careful research or blind chance?

Collocations

  • give a chance
  • fighting chance
  • slim chance
  • by chance
  • pure chance

Synonyms

  • possibility
  • opportunity
  • fortune

Antonyms

  • certainty

Idioms

  • fat chance

    used sarcastically to mean no chance at all

    Fat chance he will apologize after what he said.

  • on the off chance

    just in case something unlikely happens

    I stopped by the bakery on the off chance they still had bread.

  • chance upon

    to find or meet something by accident

    We chanced upon a tiny café while exploring the old town.