occurrence
Other forms: occurrences
An occurrence is an instance of something or a time when something happens. If you get migraines, the doctor might ask how many occurrences of the headache you have in a month.
An occurrence is an instance of something that happens repeatedly. The occurrence of Lyme disease is more frequent in New England than it is in other parts of the country. As soon as authorities see an occurrence of rabies, they send warnings out to people who live in the area. Sometimes though, an occurrence is a single event or an incident. If you and your friend saw a ghost in the cemetery, that would be quite an occurrence!
Definitions of occurrence
-
an instance of something occurring“a disease of frequent occurrence”“the occurrence (or presence) of life on other planets”
-
an event that happens
-
synonyms:
happening, natural event, occurrent
-
types:
- show 294 types...
- hide 294 types...
-
accompaniment, attendant, co-occurrence, concomitant
an event or situation that happens at the same time as or in connection with another
-
avalanche
a sudden appearance of an overwhelming number of things
-
experience
an event as apprehended
-
trouble
an event causing distress or pain
-
treat
an occurrence that causes special pleasure or delight
-
miracle
any amazing or wonderful occurrence
-
marvel, wonder
something that causes feelings of wonder
-
thing
an event
-
episode
a happening that is distinctive in a series of related events
-
contingence, contingency, eventuality
a possible event or occurrence or result
-
beginning
the event consisting of the start of something
-
conclusion, ending, finish
event whose occurrence ends something
-
one-off
a happening that occurs only once and is not repeated
-
periodic event, recurrent event
an event that recurs at intervals
-
alteration, change, modification
an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another
-
computer error, error
(computer science) the occurrence of an incorrect result produced by a computer
-
accident, chance event, fortuity, stroke
anything that happens suddenly or by chance without an apparent cause
-
fire
the event of something burning (often destructive)
-
incident
a single distinct event
-
discharge
the sudden giving off of energy
-
case, example, instance
an occurrence of something
-
motion, movement
a natural event that involves a change in the position or location of something
-
failure
an event that does not accomplish its intended purpose
-
success
an event that accomplishes its intended purpose
-
appearance
the event of coming into sight
-
destiny, fate
an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future
-
disappearance
the event of passing out of sight
-
disappearance
ceasing to exist
-
contact, impinging, striking
the physical coming together of two or more things
-
finish
designated event that concludes a contest (especially a race)
-
collapse
a natural event caused by something suddenly falling down or caving in
-
break, interruption
some abrupt occurrence that interrupts an ongoing activity
-
sound
the sudden occurrence of an audible event
-
union
the occurrence of a uniting of separate parts
-
news event
a newsworthy event
-
flash
a sudden intense burst of radiant energy
-
convergence
the occurrence of two or more things coming together
-
juncture, occasion
an event that occurs at a critical time
-
burst, flare-up, outburst
a sudden intense happening
-
epidemic, eruption, irruption, outbreak
a sudden violent spontaneous occurrence (usually of some undesirable condition)
-
black eye, blow, reversal, reverse, setback
an unfortunate happening that hinders or impedes; something that is thwarting or frustrating
-
bonanza, boom, bunce, godsend, gold rush, gravy, manna from heaven, windfall
a sudden happening that brings good fortune (as a sudden opportunity to make money)
-
collapse, crash
a sudden large decline of business or the prices of stocks (especially one that causes additional failures)
-
supervention
a following on in addition
-
acceleration
an increase in rate of change
-
deceleration, retardation, slowing
a decrease in rate of change
-
associate
any event that usually accompanies or is closely connected with another
-
background
relatively unimportant or inconspicuous accompanying situation
-
appalling
an experience that appalls
-
augury, foretoken, preindication, sign
an event that is experienced as indicating important things to come
-
flash, flashing
a short vivid experience
-
blast, good time
a highly pleasurable or exciting experience
-
loss
the experience of losing a loved one
-
near-death experience
the experience of being close to death but surviving
-
gauntlet, ordeal
a severe or trying experience
-
out-of-body experience
the dissociative experience of observing yourself from an external perspective as though your mind or soul had left and was observing your body
-
taste
a brief experience of something
-
time
a person's experience on a particular occasion
-
head trip, trip
an exciting or stimulating experience
-
vision
a religious or mystical experience of a supernatural appearance
-
feast
something experienced with great delight
-
drama, dramatic event
an episode that is turbulent or highly emotional
-
casus belli
an event used to justify starting a war
-
end, final stage, last
the concluding parts of an event or occurrence
-
final result, outcome, result, resultant, termination
something that results
-
foregone conclusion, matter of course
an inevitable ending
-
avulsion
an abrupt change in the course of a stream that forms the boundary between two parcels of land resulting in the loss of part of the land of one landowner and a consequent increase in the land of another
-
break
an abrupt change in the tone or register of the voice (as at puberty or due to emotion)
-
mutation
a change or alteration in form or qualities
-
sublimation
(psychology) modifying the natural expression of an impulse or instinct (especially a sexual one) to one that is socially acceptable
-
surprise
a sudden unexpected event
-
hardware error
error resulting from a malfunction of some physical component of the computer
-
programming error, software error
error resulting from bad code in some program involved in producing the erroneous result
-
algorithm error
error resulting from the choice of the wrong algorithm or method for achieving the intended result
-
collision, hit
(physics) a brief event in which two or more bodies come together
-
backfire
a fire that is set intentionally in order to slow an approaching forest fire or grassfire by clearing a burned area in its path
-
balefire, bonfire
a large outdoor fire that is lighted as a signal or in celebration
-
brush fire
an uncontrolled fire that consumes brush and shrubs and bushes
-
campfire
a small outdoor fire for warmth or cooking (as at a camp)
-
conflagration, inferno
a very intense and uncontrolled fire
-
forest fire
an uncontrolled fire in a wooded area
-
grassfire, prairie fire
an uncontrolled fire in a grassy area
-
smolder, smoulder
a fire that burns with thick smoke but no flame
-
smudge
a smoky fire to drive away insects
-
bad luck, misfortune
unnecessary and unforeseen trouble resulting from an unfortunate event
-
affliction
a cause of great suffering and distress
-
convulsion
a physical disturbance such as an earthquake or upheaval
-
embarrassment
some event that causes someone to be embarrassed
-
blaze, hell
a cause of difficulty and suffering
-
onslaught
a sudden and severe onset of trouble
-
outrage, scandal
a disgraceful event
-
chapter
a series of related events forming an episode
-
idyll
an episode of such pastoral or romantic charm as to qualify as the subject of a poetic idyll
-
cause celebre
an incident that attracts great public attention
-
electrical discharge
a discharge of electricity
-
blowup, detonation, explosion
a violent release of energy caused by a chemical or nuclear reaction
-
humiliation, mortification
an instance in which you are caused to lose your prestige or self-respect
-
bit, piece
an instance of some kind
-
clip, time
an instance or single occasion for some event
-
crustal movement, tectonic movement
movement resulting from or causing deformation of the earth's crust
-
approach, approaching
the event of one object coming closer to another
-
passage, passing
the motion of one object relative to another
-
deflection, deflexion
the movement of the pointer or pen of a measuring instrument from its zero position
-
bend, bending
movement that causes the formation of a curve
-
change of location, travel
a movement through space that changes the location of something
-
migration
the periodic passage of groups of animals (especially birds or fishes) from one region to another for feeding or breeding
-
hap
an accidental happening
-
break, good luck, happy chance
an unexpected piece of good luck
-
coincidence, happenstance
an event that might have been arranged although it was really accidental
-
lottery
something that is regarded as a chance event
-
downfall, ruin, ruination
failure that results in a loss of position or reputation
-
flame-out
a complete or conspicuous failure
-
malfunction
a failure to function normally
-
barnburner
an impressively successful event
-
Godspeed
a successful journey
-
abortion, miscarriage
failure of a plan
-
misfire, miss
a failure to hit (or meet or find etc)
-
egress, emergence, issue
the becoming visible
-
birth, nascence, nascency, nativity
the event of being born
-
reappearance
the event of something appearing again
-
immersion, ingress
(astronomy) the disappearance of a celestial body prior to an eclipse
-
manifestation, materialisation, materialization
an appearance in bodily form (as of a disembodied spirit)
-
manifestation
a clear appearance
-
apparition, visitation
the appearance of a ghostlike figure
-
inception, origin, origination
an event that is a beginning; a first part or stage of subsequent events
-
generation, genesis
a coming into being
-
ground floor
becoming part of a venture at the beginning (regarded as position of advantage)
-
emergence, growth, outgrowth
the gradual beginning or coming forth
-
start
the beginning of anything
-
conception, creation
the event that occurred at the beginning of something
-
inevitable
an unavoidable event
-
karma
(Hinduism and Buddhism) the effects of a person's actions that determine his destiny in his next incarnation
-
kismat, kismet
(Islam) the will of Allah
-
predestination
previous determination as if by destiny or fate
-
breakup, detachment, separation
coming apart
-
day of reckoning, doom, doomsday, end of the world
an unpleasant or disastrous destiny
-
demolition, destruction, wipeout
an event (or the result of an event) that completely destroys something
-
evanescence
the event of fading and gradually vanishing from sight
-
vanishing
a sudden or mysterious disappearance
-
fadeout, receding
a slow or gradual disappearance
-
vagary
an unexpected and inexplicable change in something (in a situation or a person's behavior, etc.)
-
fluctuation, variation
an instance of change; the rate or magnitude of change
-
engagement, interlocking, mesh, meshing
contact by fitting together
-
flick
a light sharp contact (usually with something flexible)
-
impact
the striking of one body against another
-
cycle, oscillation
a single complete execution of a periodically repeated phenomenon
-
repeat, repetition
an event that repeats
-
sunrise
the daily event of the sun rising above the horizon
-
sunset
the daily event of the sun sinking below the horizon
-
undulation, wave
(physics) a movement up and down or back and forth
-
jitter
a small irregular movement
-
periodic motion, periodic movement
motion that recurs over and over and the period of time required for each recurrence remains the same
-
heave
(geology) a horizontal dislocation
-
backlash, rebound, recoil, repercussion
a movement back from an impact
-
kick, recoil
the backward jerk of a gun when it is fired
-
seek
the movement of a read/write head to a specific data track on a disk
-
squeeze, wring
a twisting squeeze
-
cam stroke, stroke, throw
the maximum movement available to a pivoted or reciprocating piece by a cam
-
turn, turning
a movement in a new direction
-
twist, wrench
a jerky pulling movement
-
undulation
wavelike motion; a gentle rising and falling in the manner of waves
-
moving ridge, wave
one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)
-
draw, standoff, tie
the finish of a contest in which the score is tied and the winner is undecided
-
photo finish
in general, any very close finish; in particular, a finish of a race in which the contestants are so close together that the winner must be determined from a photograph taken at the instant of finishing
-
runner-up finish, second-place finish
a finish in second place (as in a race)
-
third-place finish
a finish in third place (as in a race)
-
Z, omega
the ending of a series or sequence
-
conversion
a change of religion
-
death, decease, demise, expiry
the event of dying or departure from life
-
decrease, drop-off, lessening
a change downward
-
destabilisation, destabilization
an event that causes a loss of equilibrium (as of a ship or aircraft)
-
increase
a change resulting in an increase
-
easing, moderation, relief
a change for the better
-
deformation
alteration in the shape or dimensions of an object as a result of the application of stress to it
-
transition
a change from one place or state or subject or stage to another
-
shift, transformation, transmutation
a qualitative change
-
contagion, infection, transmission
an incident in which an infectious disease is transmitted
-
scene
an incident (real or imaginary)
-
sideshow
a subordinate incident of little importance relative to the main event
-
cave in, subsidence
the sudden collapse of something into a hollow beneath it
-
wobble
an unsteady rocking motion
-
bust, fizzle, flop
a complete failure
-
debacle, fiasco
a sudden and violent collapse
-
implosion
a sudden inward collapse
-
halt, kibosh, stop
the event of something ending
-
malformation, miscreation
something abnormal or anomalous
-
dislocation, disruption
an event that results in a displacement or discontinuity
-
punctuation
something that makes repeated and regular interruptions or divisions
-
abatement, hiatus, reprieve, respite, suspension
an interruption in the intensity or amount of something
-
eclipse, occultation
the phenomenon when one celestial body obscures another
-
amphimixis
union of sperm and egg in sexual reproduction
-
fusion, merger, unification
an occurrence that involves the production of a union
-
combine, combining
an occurrence that results in things being united
-
bong
a dull resonant sound as of a bell
-
beat
the sound of stroke or blow
-
beep, bleep
a short high tone produced as a signal or warning
-
bell, toll
the sound of a bell being struck
-
bombilation, bombination, buzz
sound of rapid vibration
-
chink, click, clink
a short light metallic sound
-
chirp
a sharp sound made by small birds or insects
-
chirrup, twitter
a series of chirps
-
chorus
any utterance produced simultaneously by a group
-
click-clack
a succession of clicks
-
clip-clop, clippety-clop, clop, clopping, clumping, clunking
the sound of a horse's hoofs hitting on a hard surface
-
cry
the characteristic utterance of an animal
-
ding
a ringing sound
-
drip, dripping
the sound of a liquid falling drop by drop
-
drum
the sound of a drum
-
footfall, footstep, step
the sound of a step of someone walking
-
gargle
the sound produced while gargling
-
gurgle
the bubbling sound of water flowing from a bottle with a narrow neck
-
jangle, jingle
a metallic sound
-
knock, knocking
the sound of knocking (as on a door or in an engine or bearing)
-
murmur, murmuration, murmuring, mussitation, mutter, muttering
a low continuous indistinct sound; often accompanied by movement of the lips without the production of articulate speech
-
noise
sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
-
drum roll, paradiddle, roll
the sound of a drum (especially a snare drum) beaten rapidly and continuously
-
pat, rap, tap
the sound made by a gentle blow
-
patter
a quick succession of light rapid sounds
-
peal, pealing, roll, rolling
a deep prolonged sound (as of thunder or large bells)
-
ping
a sharp high-pitched resonant sound (as of a sonar echo or a bullet striking metal)
-
plunk
a hollow twanging sound
-
pop, popping
a sharp explosive sound as from a gunshot or drawing a cork
-
purr
a low vibrating sound typical of a contented cat
-
quack
the harsh sound of a duck
-
quaver
a tremulous sound
-
ring, ringing, tintinnabulation
the sound of a bell ringing
-
drumbeat, rataplan, rub-a-dub
the sound made by beating a drum
-
sigh
a sound like a person sighing
-
skirl
the sound of (the chanter of) a bagpipe
-
song
a distinctive or characteristic sound
-
strum
sound of strumming
-
susurration, susurrus
the indistinct sound of people whispering
-
swish
a brushing or rustling sound
-
tapping
the sound of light blow or knock
-
throbbing
a sound with a strong rhythmic beat
-
clump, clunk, thud, thump, thumping
a heavy dull sound (as made by impact of heavy objects)
-
thrum
a thrumming sound
-
thunk
a dull hollow sound
-
tick, ticking
a metallic tapping sound
-
ting, tinkle
a light clear metallic sound as of a small bell
-
toot
a blast of a horn
-
tootle
the sound of casual playing on a musical instrument
-
trample, trampling
the sound of heavy treading or stomping
-
twang
a sharp vibrating sound (as of a plucked string)
-
vibrato
(music) a pulsating effect in an instrumental or vocal tone produced by slight and rapid variations in pitch
-
voice
a sound suggestive of a vocal utterance
-
vroom
the roaring sound made by a motor that is running at high speed
-
whack
the sound made by a sharp swift blow
-
birr, whir, whirr, whirring
sound of something in rapid motion
-
whistle, whistling
the sound made by something moving rapidly or by steam coming out of a small aperture
-
whiz
a buzzing or hissing sound as of something traveling rapidly through the air
-
zing
a brief high-pitched buzzing or humming sound
-
beat, heartbeat, pulsation, pulse
the rhythmic contraction and expansion of the arteries with each beat of the heart
-
tide
the periodic rise and fall of the sea level under the gravitational pull of the moon
-
touch, touching
the event of something coming in contact with the body
-
scintillation, sparkling, twinkle
a rapid change in brightness; a brief spark or flash
-
play, shimmer
a weak and tremulous light
-
flicker, glint, spark
a momentary flash of light
-
gleam, gleaming, glimmer
a flash of light (especially reflected light)
-
coruscation, glitter, sparkle
the occurrence of a small flash or spark
-
heat flash
a flash of intense heat (as released by an atomic explosion)
-
lightning
the flash of light that accompanies an electric discharge in the atmosphere (or something resembling such a flash); can scintillate for a second or more
-
streak
a sudden flash (as of lightning)
-
encounter, meeting
a casual or unexpected convergence
-
transmutation
(physics) the change of one chemical element into another (as by nuclear decay or radioactive bombardment)
-
climax, flood tide
the highest point of anything conceived of as growing or developing or unfolding
-
conjuncture
a critical combination of events or circumstances
-
crisis
a crucial stage or turning point in the course of something
-
landmark, turning point, watershed
an event marking a unique or important historical change of course or one on which important developments depend
-
milestone
a significant event in your life (or in a project)
-
head, pass, straits
a difficult juncture
-
reality check
an occasion on which one is reminded of the nature of things in the real world
-
damage, harm, impairment
the occurrence of a change for the worse
-
breakdown, equipment failure
a cessation of normal operation
-
development
a recent event that has some relevance for the present situation
-
revolution
a drastic and far-reaching change in ways of thinking and behaving
-
chromosomal mutation, genetic mutation, mutation
(genetics) any event that changes genetic structure; any alteration in the inherited nucleic acid sequence of the genotype of an organism
-
sex change
a change in a person's physical sexual characteristics (as by surgery and hormone treatments)
-
disturbance, interference, noise
electrical or acoustic activity that can disturb communication
-
salvo
an outburst resembling the discharge of firearms or the release of bombs
-
epidemic
a widespread outbreak of an infectious disease; many people are infected at the same time
-
recrudescence
a return of something after a period of abatement
-
rush
a sudden burst of activity
-
eruption, volcanic eruption
the sudden occurrence of a violent discharge of steam and volcanic material
-
commotion, whirl, whirlwind
confused movement
-
triumph, victory
a successful ending of a struggle or contest
-
defeat, licking
an unsuccessful ending to a struggle or contest
-
whammy
a serious or devastating setback
-
bite
(angling) an instance of a fish taking the bait
-
loss of consciousness
the occurrence of a loss of the ability to perceive and respond
-
zizz
a buzzing or whizzing sound
-
Brownian motion, Brownian movement, pedesis
the random motion of small particles suspended in a gas or liquid
-
hiccup
a minor or temporary error or setback
-
nonstarter
an idea or plan that has no chance of being successful
-
type of:
-
event
something that happens at a given place and time
Pronunciation
US
/əˈkərəns/
UK
/ɒˈkərəns/
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘occurrence'.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
Send us feedback
Word Family
EDITOR'S CHOICE
Look up occurrence for the last time
Close your vocabulary gaps with personalized learning that focuses on teaching the words you need to know.
