a chance event

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a chance event" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an occurrence that happens unexpectedly or without a specific cause. Example: "The sudden rainstorm was a chance event that caught everyone off guard during the outdoor festival."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

43 human-written examples

These changes include a direct measure of research expenditures and a considerably lengthier longitudinal dataset which allows us to capture a structural relationship and not a chance event.

Research Policy

Something I admire from the American approach is the systematic analysis of business, not seeing success as a chance event.

Yale University

Histories of the election tell of a chance event that may have played a role in the outcome.

The New York Times

Although somatic mutation can be a chance event in any body cell, it occurs regularly in the DNA that codes for antigen receptors in lymphocytes.

Encyclopedia Britannica

At Oxford, my chief non-scholastic pursuit was writing, but a chance event took me into the world of public speaking.

The Guardian - Film

"The museum's purpose would not be to 'spread fear' but to confront what is no longer a chance event," he explained.

The New York Times - Arts

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

17 human-written examples

This so-called "many-worlds in one" model essentially reconceives any chance event as a necessary one, where its (absolute) abundance is proportional to its chance of occurring.

Biology Direct

The scientific study of the origin of life, established in the 1920s, required abandoning the idea of a unique chance event and considering a view of life emerging as the result of a long evolutionary process.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

Over dinner one evening, while explaining to the other delegates how errors in the gene for telomerase can cause health problems, she described genetic mutation as a random, chance event.

BBC

But life did not have to start with a single, chance event at some particular point in space and time.

Biology Direct

The problem here is that we can now have chance without randomness, if there is a single-case unrepeatable chance event.

SEP

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a chance event", ensure that the context clearly indicates the unexpected or unplanned nature of the occurrence. Avoid using it when the event is the result of a deliberate action or plan.

Common error

Avoid using "a chance event" when there's an identifiable cause. Overusing the phrase can make writing seem vague or dismissive of underlying factors.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a chance event" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the subject or object of a sentence. It identifies an occurrence whose outcome is largely determined by unpredictable factors. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

48%

News & Media

40%

Academia

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a chance event" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase for describing occurrences that are unplanned or accidental. Ludwig's analysis reveals that while the phrase is versatile, appearing in various contexts from science to news, its core function remains consistent: to denote an event governed by randomness rather than intent. As Ludwig AI confirms, this expression is deemed appropriate for formal writing, although writers should carefully consider whether more specific terminology could be preferable based on the writing's aim.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an accidental happening

Replaces 'chance' with 'accidental' and 'event' with 'happening', focusing on the unplanned nature of the occurrence.

a random occurrence

Substitutes 'chance' with 'random' and 'event' with 'occurrence', emphasizing the lack of predictability.

a fortuitous incident

Employs 'fortuitous' to highlight the element of good luck and 'incident' as a general term for an event.

an unexpected happening

Focuses on the surprise aspect, replacing 'chance' with 'unexpected' and 'event' with 'happening'.

a stroke of luck

Uses a more idiomatic expression to convey that the event was primarily due to good fortune.

a fortunate accident

Combines the aspects of luck and unintentionality, replacing 'chance' with 'fortunate' and 'event' with 'accident'.

a coincidental occurrence

Highlights the element of coincidence, where the event happens without a clear causal connection.

an arbitrary incident

Stresses the unpredictable and seemingly random nature of the event, using 'arbitrary' instead of 'chance'.

a freak event

Suggests the event is unusual and unlikely to happen, using the term 'freak' to emphasize its oddity.

a one-off incident

Implies the event is singular and not part of a pattern, using 'one-off' to stress its uniqueness.

FAQs

How can I use "a chance event" in a sentence?

You can use "a chance event" to describe something that happens unexpectedly or without a specific cause. For example, "The discovery of the ancient artifact was "a chance event" during the construction project."

What are some alternatives to "a chance event"?

Some alternatives to "a chance event" include "a random occurrence", "an accidental happening", or "a stroke of luck", depending on the context.

Is it appropriate to use "a chance event" in formal writing?

Yes, "a chance event" is appropriate for formal writing, but consider whether a more precise term might be more suitable depending on the specific context and desired level of detail.

What's the difference between "a chance event" and "a coincidence"?

While both involve unplanned occurrences, "a chance event" emphasizes randomness, whereas "a coincidence" highlights the surprising occurrence of related events at the same time.