Serendipity
n.joyful, hopefulwarm
What it means
The happy discovery of something valuable by chance.
Reach for it when naming the occurrence of a valuable discovery or event through unexpected chance
Serendipity led them to a hidden garden during the walk.
Choose between these
8- playful
fluke
when an unlikely result occurs once
not when Fluke can dismiss the competence that recognized the opportunity.
- playful
happy accident
when an unintended useful result suits an informal tone
not when The phrase can minimize skill or preparation.
- everyday
coincidence
when events align without a known cause
not when Coincidence may have no benefit or discovery.
- everyday
when chance benefit is enough
not when Luck covers any chance benefit, not specifically a useful discovery.
- warm
good fortune
when broad favorable luck is intended
not when Good fortune need not involve discovery.
- professional
chance discovery
when finding something unexpectedly is exact
not when Chance discovery describes the event but lacks serendipity's pleasure.
- formal
fortuity
when accidental occurrence is the precise concept
not when Fortuity does not inherently mean a favorable result.
- formal
when faith attributes timely benefit to divine care
not when Providence makes a religious claim.
Said against
3- misfortune
- design
- inevitability
It naturally appears in
3- pure serendipity
Pure serendipity placed both conservators on the same train.
- moment of serendipity
A moment of serendipity turned the wrong box into the right archive.
- role of serendipity
The discovery shows the role of serendipity in careful research.
Where this comes from
- wiktionary, English noun: fortunate discovery by chance opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.