chance encounter
Bumping into someone
A chance encounter is an unplanned meeting with someone, typically suggesting coincidence or fate rather than arrangement.
The phrase often carries romantic or significant overtones—stories of couples who met through a chance encounter on a train, or a chance encounter with an old friend that changed everything.
The modifier *chance* emphasizes that neither party sought the meeting.
- serendipityAccidental fortunate discovery
- coincidenceUnplanned matching of events
- fatePredetermined course of events
- twist of fateUnexpected reversal of fortune
- meetingGathering for discussion
unexpected · stranger · collision · crossing paths · crossing · paths · destiny · random · surprise · bump · accident · fortuitous · rendezvous · happenstance · fleeting · momentary · brush · stumble
- discoveryfind, finding, discovery, discover, finding out
- encountersmeeting, run-in, running into, crossing paths, coming across
- fate and chancefate, luck, destiny, fortune, coincidence
- Spontaneityimpulse, whim, snap decision, sudden urge, on a whim
- romancelove story, amor, love, boyfriend, courting
- fatedestiny, fate, kismet, Moira, fated
chance encounterscheduled visit
Prearranged time to come
appointment · date · assignation · setup
chance encounterstructured interview
Systematic hiring conversation format
summit · diplomatic summit · formal reception · formal introduction · board meeting
chance, encounter, chances, chanced, chancing, chancy, encounters, encountered, encountering