Chance meetings

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "Chance meetings" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe unexpected encounters with people. An example: "Their chance meetings often led to interesting conversations." Alternative expressions include "serendipitous encounters" and "unexpected meetings."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Chance meetings are a motif in Halbreich's biography.

The New Yorker

Chance meetings in an elevator tend to terminate in the lobby, whereas chance meetings in a corridor tended to lead to technical discussions".

The New Yorker

Chance meetings have a way of yielding reversals that seem as diagrammed as chess moves.

The New York Times

Chance meetings with exactly the right people can permanently alter unexamined lives.

The New York Times

Chance meetings with Facebook executives are why he came to California in 2007.

BBC

"Chance meetings produce miracles to compensate for the disasters that characteristically befall startups.

TechCrunch

Meeting rooms, kitchens, stairways and amenities are all centrally located to encourage chance meetings and interactions.

Stanford University

No chance meetings.

The Guardian

Two chance meetings, 70 years apart.

University of Pennsylvania

No chance meetings or a simple good morning.

The Guardian

After two chance meetings, we began going out.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Place this phrase at the start of a narrative to establish a sense of destiny or pivotal plot shifts.

Common error

Do not use "Chance meetings" to describe events that were subtly engineered or expected. If a meeting was 'arranged' to look accidental but actually had a hidden intent, use descriptors like 'orchestrated' or 'engineered' to avoid misleading the reader about the nature of the randomness.

Linguistic Context

In linguistic structures, "Chance meetings" serves as a plural noun phrase. The word "chance" acts as an attributive adjective modifying the noun "meetings". Ludwig AI examples show it frequently functioning as the agent of change in a sentence (e.g. "Chance meetings... can permanently alter unexamined lives").

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Academia

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Social Media

5%

Reference

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "Chance meetings" is a robust and sophisticated English phrase used to describe the intersection of lives without prior arrangement. Ludwig AI confirms its high frequency and correctness across top-tier journalistic and academic sources. Whether discussing the origins of a startup in "TechCrunch" or the layout of a research facility at "MIT", the phrase effectively captures the serendipity of human interaction. It is most powerful when used to contrast the structured parts of life with the transformative potential of the unexpected. Writers should feel confident using it to add a layer of narrative weight or scientific observation to their work.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Serendipitous encounters

Adds a connotation of pleasant or beneficial luck rather than just neutrality.

Random encounters

More informal and emphasizes the lack of pattern or intention.

Accidental meetings

Direct and literal, focusing entirely on the lack of planning.

Coincidental run-ins

Uses more conversational language and often implies meeting an acquaintance.

Incidental interactions

More clinical or technical, often used in urban planning or sociology.

Fortuitous gatherings

Implies a group context and carries a more formal, positive tone.

Spontaneous meetups

Modern and casual, suggesting a quicker or less significant interaction.

Fated encounters

Heavy on literary or romantic subtext, suggesting the meeting was meant to be.

Unexpected collisions

Metaphorical and more dramatic, often used in creative or journalistic writing.

Unplanned face-to-face contact

A descriptive, literal alternative that removes the idiomatic quality.

FAQs

How to use "Chance meetings" in a sentence?

You can use it as a subject or object to describe unplanned events, such as: "Many successful startups began through "chance meetings" in local coffee shops."

What can I say instead of "Chance meetings"?

Depending on your tone, you could use "serendipitous encounters" for a more poetic feel or "random encounters" for a more neutral description.

What's the difference between "Chance meetings" and "Random encounters"?

While similar, "random encounters" is often perceived as more modern and informal, whereas "Chance meetings" has a classic, slightly more formal quality favored in literature and journalism.

Is "Chance meetings" formal enough for academic writing?

Yes, it is frequently used in academic contexts, particularly in sociology or urban studies, to discuss how physical spaces facilitate "incidental interactions" between individuals.