# occasional

/əˈkeɪʒənəɫ/ (US) · /əkˈeɪʒənəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/occasional
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. happening sometimes

adjective · CEFR B1

happening from time to time, but not regularly or very often.

For teachers: occurring or appearing at irregular intervals; not frequent or constant.

- We still have the occasional argument, but generally we get along very well.
- Despite the overall improvement in the economy, the region still suffers from occasional power outages during the peak of summer.

### 2. for a specific event

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

made or used for a special event or a particular reason.

For teachers: created or intended for a specific occasion or particular purpose.

- The poet wrote an occasional poem to celebrate the king's birthday.
- The composer was commissioned to produce an occasional piece for the opening of the new national theatre.

### 3. doing something sometimes

adjective · CEFR B2

doing a job or a hobby only once in a while.

For teachers: acting in a specific role or capacity only from time to time.

- He is an occasional painter who only picks up a brush when he is on holiday.
- As an occasional contributor to the Sunday papers, she maintained her profile in the literary world without the pressure of a weekly column.

### 4. a person

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal

a person who does something only once in a while.

For teachers: a person who engages in an activity or attends an event only occasionally.

- The pub was quiet, filled only with a few regulars and the odd occasional.
- The church congregation consisted of a small core of devoted members and a larger group of occasionals who attended only on major holidays.

## Examples

- I enjoy the occasional glass of wine with dinner.
- The quiet afternoon was interrupted only by the occasional sound of a car passing on the street below.
- Despite his busy schedule, he still finds time for the occasional weekend trip to the mountains to clear his head and reconnect with nature.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.