chancenoun
uk/tʃɑːns/us/tʃæns/chance noun (OPPORTUNITY)
B1 [ C ] an occasion that allows something to be done:
I didn't get/have a chance to speak to her.
[ + to infinitive ] If you give me a chance to speak, I'll explain.
Society has to give prisoners a second chance when they come out of jail.
He left and I missed my chance to say goodbye to him.
I'd go now given half a chance (= if I had the slightest opportunity).
Synonym
opportunity
More examples
- Don't tell anyone I'm leaving before I've had a chance to tell Anthony.
- We'd be glad of the chance to meet her.
- We are now offering you the chance to buy the complete set of pans at half price.
- Everyone will have a chance to make their views known at the meeting.
- She missed the chance of promotion when she turned down the job of assistant manager.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Opportunity
- a free ride idiom
- another/a second bite at/of the cherry idiom
- best bet idiom
- bite
- break
- chance would be a fine thing idiom
- half
- look in
- make hay while the sun shines idiom
- manqué
- miss
- miss out
- op
- pass
- the run of sth idiom
- the world is sb's oyster idiom
- there are plenty more fish in the sea idiom
- toehold
- too good to miss idiom
- window
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chance noun (POSSIBILITY)
B1 [ S or plural ] the level of possibility that something will happen:
You'd have a better chance/more chance of passing your exams if you worked a bit harder.
[ + (that) ] There's a good chance (that) I'll have this essay finished by tomorrow.
There's a slim/slight chance (that) I might have to go to Manchester next week.
If we hurry, there's still an outside (= very small) chance of catching the plane.
"Is there any chance of speaking to him?" "Not a/No chance, I'm afraid."
I don't think I stand/have a chance of winning.
UK John thinks they're in with a chance (= they have a possibility of doing or getting what they want).
Her resignation has improved my chances of promotion.
What are her chances of survival?
[ + that ] What are the chances that they'll win?
Synonym
likelihood
More examples
- There's no chance of us getting there by eight.
- There's still an outside chance that Scotland will get through into the World Cup.
- She stands a good chance of passing her exam if she works hard.
- The doctors told my wife I had a 50/50 chance of survival.
- I must tell you in all honesty that there is little chance of the scheme being approved.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Possible and probable
- (the) chances are idiom
- always
- anything's possible idiom
- arguably
- as never before idiom
- avenue
- course
- lean towards sth
- liable
- likelihood
- likely
- may well idiom
- sporting chance
- stand
- strange
- stranger things have happened idiom
- strong
- ten
- ten to one idiom
- vista
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Chance and randomness
chance noun (RISK)
B2 [ C ] a possibility that something negative will happen:
I'm delivering my work by hand - I'm not taking any chances.
There's a chance of injury in almost any sport.
Synonym
risk
More examples
- The doctor says there's no chance of contagion.
- The weather forecast said that there's an even chance of thunderstorms tonight .
- There is possibly less chance of another World War while the last one is within living memory.
- There's a chance that he might go bankrupt.
- Don't go climbing if there's any chance of bad weather.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Dangers and threats
- baneful
- black spot
- brinkmanship
- calculated risk
- chancy
- darkly
- desperately
- dodgy
- gamble
- hazardous
- hazmat
- high-risk
- hostage
- hostage to fortune idiom
- poisoned chalice
- precarious
- pull
- pull a gun, knife, etc. on sb idiom
- risk
- treacherous
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chance noun (LUCK)
B1 [ U ] the force that causes things to happen without any known cause or reason for doing so:
Roulette is a game of chance.
I got this job completely by chance.
[ + (that) ] It was pure/sheer chance (that) we met.
We must double-check everything and leave nothing to chance.
by any chance
C2 used to ask a question or request in a polite way:
Are you Hungarian, by any chance?
Could you lend me a couple of pounds, by any chance?
You wouldn't, by any chance, have a calculator on you, would you?
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Chance and randomness
- accident
- arbitrary
- as luck would have it idiom
- be the luck of the draw idiom
- casual
- circumstance
- haphazard
- happen
- happenstance
- harum-scarum
- hit-and-miss
- lottery
- more by accident than design idiom
- more by luck than judgment idiom
- one in a million idiom
- postcode lottery
- pot luck
- serendipity
- stochastic
- stumble into sth
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Polite expressions
Idiom(s)
chance would be a fine thing
(the) chances are
not give much for sb's chances
chanceverb
uk/tʃɑːns/us/tʃæns/chance verb (RISK)
[ T ] to risk something:
You'd be a fool to chance your life savings on a single investment.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Taking risks
- a drowning man will clutch at a straw idiom
- a leap in the dark idiom
- adventurer
- ante
- be skating on thin ice idiom
- dare
- expose
- have/put your head on the block idiom
- hazard
- imperil
- jeopardize
- lay
- lay sth on the line idiom
- neck
- run the risk of doing sth idiom
- sail close to the wind idiom
- skate
- stick (sth) out
- stick your neck out idiom
- stunt
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chance verb (LUCK)
[ I ] old-fashioned or literary to happen or do something by chance:
[ + to infinitive ] They chanced to be in the restaurant when I arrived.
I chanced on/upon (= found unexpectedly) some old love letters in a drawer.
Ten years after leaving school, we chanced on/upon (= unexpectedly met) each other in Regent Street.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Chance and randomness
- accident
- arbitrary
- as luck would have it idiom
- be the luck of the draw idiom
- casual
- circumstance
- haphazard
- happen
- happenstance
- harum-scarum
- hit-and-miss
- lottery
- more by accident than design idiom
- more by luck than judgment idiom
- one in a million idiom
- postcode lottery
- pot luck
- serendipity
- stochastic
- stumble into sth
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Idiom(s)
chance your arm