by chance

B b

Definitions of by chance words

phrase by chance Something that happens by chance was not planned by anyone. 3
noun by chance accidentally 3
noun by chance perhaps 3
noun by chance as it may happen; perchance 3
noun by chance the absence of any cause of events that can be predicted, understood, or controlled: often personified or treated as a positive agency: Chance governs all. 1
noun by chance luck or fortune: a game of chance. 1

before 1250

One of the 11% oldest English words

1250-1300; Middle English < Old French chance, cheance < Vulgar Latin *cadentia a befalling, happening; see cadenza

noun

adjective

verb

adverb

pronoun

preposition

conjunction

determiner

exclamation

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 98% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.

Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

accidentally — happening by chance or accident; not planned; unexpected: an accidental meeting.
unexpectedly — not expected; unforeseen; surprising: an unexpected pleasure; an unexpected development.
unintentionally — not intentional or deliberate: an unintentional omission from the list.
unwittingly — inadvertent; unintentional; accidental: His insult, though unwitting, pained her.
as luck would have it — fortunately