isolated occasion

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "isolated occasion" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a specific event or instance that is not part of a regular pattern or series. Example: "The isolated occasion when the team won the championship was celebrated with a grand party."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

If this were an isolated occasion, I could accept your apology at face value.

The New York Times

They did so, it would seem, not just on one isolated occasion but consistently, over a period of two months.

The Guardian

Siddiqi's story and others like it involving incidents from the end of the 2001 war to the present day indicate that what has been happening in Abu Ghraib is not an isolated occasion of rogue junior soldiers acting independently, but part of an apparent strategy of interrogation that was in place long before the invasion of Iraq.

The Guardian

This large value for NT{A},E in Wuhan when 30 °C ≤  Temp < 35 °C was recorded on only one isolated occasion in July 2010 (Fig.  4b).

BMC Infectious Diseases

This research was designed as an exploratory study conducted over a single five day period at a series of patient support centres with participants completing a questionnaire on an isolated occasion.

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

For there have been a few, isolated occasions when I have been scared out of my cucumber-cool skin by what was happening on a stage.

The New York Times

"And I think if on isolated occasions managers, they lose their emotional control and they have a certain behaviour that cannot be accepted by the authorities, in this case by the refs, I think we should be punished.

The Guardian - Sport

It is often said that in the earlier operas, too, choruses and other numbers calling for liberation or revolt were taken metaphorically as revolutionary rallying cries, and evidently this did happen on isolated occasions.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Christopher Cowdray, the hotel's general manager, said: 'On the isolated occasions when a matter has been brought to our attention, we have taken the relevant action immediately.' Last year inspectors found legionella bacteria in four rooms at the Savoy in the Strand.

The Guardian - Travel

But while hundreds of species have been documented doing it on isolated occasions, only a handful have made it a habitual part of their lives, says Vasey.

BBC

The term has been used previously on only several other isolated occasions [2, 3], but if existing research is surveyed for studies that fit this definition, an appreciable body of knowledge emerges.

Geochemical Transactions

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "isolated occasion" to emphasize that an event is not typical or part of a pattern. This is useful when you want to highlight the exceptional nature of something.

Common error

Avoid using "isolated occasion" when describing frequent or recurring events. This phrase is best reserved for truly rare or unique instances to maintain its impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "isolated occasion" primarily functions as a descriptor, modifying a noun to indicate that the occasion is unique and not part of a regular series. Ludwig AI confirms its validity.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Encyclopedias

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "isolated occasion" is a grammatically sound and relatively infrequent expression used to describe a unique, non-recurring event. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness. It appears in both news and scientific contexts, lending it a neutral to professional tone. When using this phrase, ensure that the event you're describing is genuinely rare or exceptional to maintain its intended impact. Alternative phrases like "one-off instance" or "unique occurrence" can provide similar meanings with slightly different emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

one-off instance

Focuses on the singular and non-recurring nature of the event.

unique occurrence

Emphasizes the distinctiveness and rarity of the event.

single event

Highlights the fact that the occasion happened only once.

rare instance

Stresses the infrequency with which the event happens.

exceptional case

Implies that the occasion deviates from the norm.

uncommon event

Similar to "rare instance" but can suggest a slightly higher possibility of recurrence.

infrequent episode

Highlights the sporadic and irregular nature of the event.

sporadic incident

Implies that the event is not only rare but also unpredictable.

once-in-a-lifetime event

Suggests that the occasion is so rare it's unlikely to ever happen again.

isolated incident

Similar to "isolated occasion", but focusing more on negative connotations or unusual cases.

FAQs

How can I use "isolated occasion" in a sentence?

You can use "isolated occasion" to describe a singular, non-recurring event, such as, "The "isolated occasion" when the team won the championship was a memorable one."

What's the difference between "isolated occasion" and "isolated incident"?

"Isolated occasion" is neutral, while "isolated incident" often implies something negative or problematic. The choice depends on the context.

Are there alternatives to "isolated occasion"?

Yes, you can use phrases like "one-off instance", "unique occurrence", or "single event", depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is "isolated occasion" formal or informal?

"Isolated occasion" is suitable for both formal and informal writing. Its appropriateness depends more on the context than the level of formality.