casual
1 of 2adjective
ca·su·al ˈkazh-wəl 
ˈka-zhə-wəl,
ˈka-zhəl
1
: subject to, resulting from, or occurring by chance
a casual meeting
2
a
: occurring without regularity : occasional
casual employment
b
: employed for irregular periods
a casual worker
c
: met with on occasion and known only superficially
a casual friend
3
a(1)
: feeling or showing little concern : nonchalant
a casual approach to cooking
(2)
: lacking a high degree of interest or devotion
casual sports fans
casual readers
(3)
: done without serious intent or commitment
casual sex
b(1)
: informal, natural
a casual conversation
(2)
: designed for informal use
casual clothing
(3)
: allowing for the wearing of informal clothes
… I had my wedding skirt (yep, skirt—it was a casual wedding) …
Rory Evans
Rory Evanscasual Fridays [=Fridays when employees (as in an office) are allowed to wear casual clothing]
casually adverb
casualness noun
casual
2 of 2noun
1
: a casual (see casual entry 1 sense 2b) or migratory worker
2
: an officer or enlisted person awaiting assignment or transportation to a unit
Synonyms
Adjective
- everyday
- informal
- workaday
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Adjective a casual encounter on the sidewalk The atmosphere at the meeting was quite casual. He made a casual remark about her shoes. He's a casual sports fan.
Recent Examples on the Web Emily Tannenbaum, Peoplemag, 14 Sep. 2022 George, meanwhile, kept it more casual for the fete. Rosa Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 8 Sep. 2022 Which is to say, this isn’t material that casual fans will likely be familiar with. Andy Meek, BGR, 1 Sep. 2022 Kunis was also down to keep things casual at first. Jessica Booth, PEOPLE.com, 28 July 2022 Affleck kept it even more casual over the weekend aboard a giant yacht. Brittany Bowker, BostonGlobe.com, 27 July 2022 The idea of being effortlessly casual became glamorous again, as routine errands found a new level of importance thanks to quarantine and social distancing. Dave Schilling, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2022 Friday night, there’s the rehearsal, for which the dress code is hazmat-casual. Al Mullen, The New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2022 The event will be held in the Union Church sanctuary, 3 Elm St. Admission is free and dress is casual. Hartford Courant, 25 Aug. 2022 Erica L. Ayala, Forbes, 19 July 2022 Pitt's take on summer casual included a slouchy linen suit in a peachy-keen color. Amanda Taylor, PEOPLE.com, 17 July 2022 But even in Napa, Ms. Pelosi, who doesn’t seem to do California casual, is often seen in the fitted suits that are her Capitol Hill signature. New York Times, 22 June 2022 And her most recent addition to her long list of on-point fashion risks is a hot take on what business casual may look like if WFH continues. Abby Dupes, Seventeen, 7 June 2022 There’s also room to put together new rides that place more emphasis on the casual. Eben Weiss, Outside Online, 2 June 2022 Eliot Ness for his unimpeachability, Frank Serpico for his willingness to take on crooked cops, and the television detective Columbo for his casual, sometimes disheveled demeanor that put witnesses at ease and threw adversaries off their game. New York Times, 25 Jan. 2022 They are styled like the Corleone family, in plush tracksuits and back-room casual. Anna Wiener, The New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2021 Despite emerging from the shores of Surf City USA in Huntington Beach, California, in 2007, TravisMathew is finding success in its niche as lifestyle performance by bridging the gap between performance and casual. Michael Loré, Forbes, 21 Sep. 2021 See More
Adjective
Though the couple attempted to keep things casual, their romance quickly heated up. Emily Tannenbaum, Peoplemag, 14 Sep. 2022 George, meanwhile, kept it more casual for the fete. Rosa Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 8 Sep. 2022 Which is to say, this isn’t material that casual fans will likely be familiar with. Andy Meek, BGR, 1 Sep. 2022 Kunis was also down to keep things casual at first. Jessica Booth, PEOPLE.com, 28 July 2022 Affleck kept it even more casual over the weekend aboard a giant yacht. Brittany Bowker, BostonGlobe.com, 27 July 2022 The idea of being effortlessly casual became glamorous again, as routine errands found a new level of importance thanks to quarantine and social distancing. Dave Schilling, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2022 Friday night, there’s the rehearsal, for which the dress code is hazmat-casual. Al Mullen, The New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2022 The event will be held in the Union Church sanctuary, 3 Elm St. Admission is free and dress is casual. Hartford Courant, 25 Aug. 2022 Noun
No matter the medium, Cohn creates a casual – albeit well researched and prepped – conversation for sports fans. Erica L. Ayala, Forbes, 19 July 2022 Pitt's take on summer casual included a slouchy linen suit in a peachy-keen color. Amanda Taylor, PEOPLE.com, 17 July 2022 But even in Napa, Ms. Pelosi, who doesn’t seem to do California casual, is often seen in the fitted suits that are her Capitol Hill signature. New York Times, 22 June 2022 And her most recent addition to her long list of on-point fashion risks is a hot take on what business casual may look like if WFH continues. Abby Dupes, Seventeen, 7 June 2022 There’s also room to put together new rides that place more emphasis on the casual. Eben Weiss, Outside Online, 2 June 2022 Eliot Ness for his unimpeachability, Frank Serpico for his willingness to take on crooked cops, and the television detective Columbo for his casual, sometimes disheveled demeanor that put witnesses at ease and threw adversaries off their game. New York Times, 25 Jan. 2022 They are styled like the Corleone family, in plush tracksuits and back-room casual. Anna Wiener, The New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2021 Despite emerging from the shores of Surf City USA in Huntington Beach, California, in 2007, TravisMathew is finding success in its niche as lifestyle performance by bridging the gap between performance and casual. Michael Loré, Forbes, 21 Sep. 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
Adjective
Middle English, from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French casuel, from Late Latin casualis, from Latin casus fall, chance — more at case
First Known Use
Adjective
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun
circa 1852, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing casual
Kids Definition
casual
adjective
ca·su·al ˈkazh-wəl
ˈka-zhə-wəl,
ˈka-zhəl
1
: happening unexpectedly or by chance : not planned or foreseen
a casual meeting
2
: occurring without regularity : occasional
casual visits
3
: showing or feeling little concern : nonchalant
This is awful! How can you be so casual about it?
4
: meant for informal use
Wear casual clothing for the tour.
Legal Definition
casual
adjective
ca·su·al
1
a
: not expected or foreseen
b
: not done purposefully : accidental
2
a
: employed for irregular periods
a casual worker
b
: engaging in an activity on an occasional basis
a casual seller
casual
adjective
1
as in informal
not designed to be worn only on special occasions a restaurant where people in casual clothes are always welcome Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- informal
- everyday
- relaxed
- workaday
- sporty
- sloppy
- slovenly
- shabby
- dégagé
- dressed down
- unkempt
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- formal
- dressy
- best
- elegant
- chic
- stylish
- fashionable
- noncasual
- smart
- neat
- dressed up
- tidy
- semiformal
- trim
- Sunday
2
as in accidental
happening by chance a casual meeting with the next-door neighbors on a beach in Hawaii Synonyms & Similar Words
- accidental
- unexpected
- unintentional
- incidental
- inadvertent
- unpremeditated
- unplanned
- chance
- unintended
- unwitting
- odd
- fortuitous
- random
- haphazard
- aimless
- arbitrary
- coincidental
- desultory
- flukey
- fluky
- freak
- uncertain
- unforeseen
- involuntary
- unforeseeable
- unconscious
- unprompted
- coerced
- forced
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- deliberate
- intentional
- intended
- premeditated
- planned
- predictable
- certain
- calculated
- inevitable
- sure
- premeditative
- set
- foreseeable
- fixed
- conscious
- expected
- prepense
- voluntary
- destined
- prescribed
- predetermined
- foreseen
- wilful
- willful
- volunteer
- unforced
- knowing
- preordained
- predestined
- foreordained
- freewill
3
as in nonchalant
having or showing a lack of interest or concern only a casual examination of the bicycle before buying it Synonyms & Similar Words
- nonchalant
- careless
- disinterested
- uninterested
- perfunctory
- detached
- indifferent
- insouciant
- unconcerned
- apathetic
- stoic
- complacent
- incurious
- calm
- uncurious
- cold
- aloof
- dispassionate
- pococurante
- unemotional
- halfhearted
- insensible
- tepid
- remote
- cool
- callous
- lukewarm
- numb
- mindless
- insensitive
- phlegmatic
- heedless
- stolid
- unfeeling
- impassive
- listless
- lethargic
- impervious
- stoical
- unimpressed
- hard-hearted
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- interested
- conscientious
- attentive
- mindful
- aware
- concerned
- warm
- sensitive
- passionate
- ardent
- fervent
- zealous
- caring
- keen
- heedful
- warmhearted
4
as in sporadic
lacking in steadiness or regularity of occurrence a casual attendance at their son's hockey games Synonyms & Similar Words
- sporadic
- occasional
- sudden
- intermittent
- irregular
- violent
- episodic
- unpredictable
- erratic
- episodical
- discontinuous
- unsteady
- spastic
- fitful
- spasmodic
- catchy
- random
- choppy
- volatile
- spotty
- aperiodic
- changing
- haphazard
- aimless
- varying
- slapdash
- scattered
- interrupted
- desultory
- odd
- changeful
- arbitrary
- disconnected
- capricious
- uncertain
- broken
- fragmentary
- convulsive
- unsettled
- unstable
- fluid
- stray
- inconstant
- variable
- hit-or-miss
- mercurial
- hit-and-miss
- fluctuating
- mutable
- changeable
- fickle
- wavering
- temperamental
- flickery
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- regular
- continuous
- habitual
- constant
- periodic
- steady
- uniform
- stable
- stationary
- systematic
- even
- repeated
- methodical
- equable
- unchanging
- orderly
- unvarying
- changeless
- unrelenting
- methodic
- unwavering
- unremitting
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of casual are accidental, contingent, and fortuitous. While all these words mean "not amenable to planning or prediction," casual stresses lack of real or apparent premeditation or intent.
a casual encounter with a stranger
The synonyms accidental and casual are sometimes interchangeable, but accidental stresses chance.
any resemblance to actual persons is entirely accidental
While in some cases nearly identical to casual, contingent suggests possibility of happening but stresses uncertainty and dependence on other future events for existence or occurrence.
the contingent effects of the proposed law
Although the words fortuitous and casual have much in common, fortuitous so strongly suggests chance that it often connotes entire absence of cause.
a series of fortuitous events
- innless
- innocence
- innocences
- innocencies
- innocency
- innocenses
- innocent
- innocent converter
- innocent conveyance
- innocent passage
- innocenter
- innocentest
- innocently
- innocents
- Innocents' Day
- innocuity
- innoculated
- innoculateed
- innoculateing
- innoculates
- innoculating
- innocuous
- innocuously
- innocuousness
- innocuousnesses