Meaning & use
happy coincidence
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Meanings
nouncountable
A situation in which two things happen at the same time by chance and the result is pleasant or lucky.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a happy coincidence' or 'happy coincidences'.
Patterns
- a happy coincidence that ...
- by a happy coincidence
- it was a happy coincidence
By a happy coincidence, my best friend from school was on the same flight.
It was a happy coincidence that the hotel had one room left when we arrived.
Meeting her at the conference was a happy coincidence; we had both chosen the same talk.
nouncountable
A chance event that seems lucky or fortunate, often when two related things happen together.
Grammar: Often used with 'by' to show the lucky nature: 'by a happy coincidence'.
Patterns
- a happy coincidence for someone
- such a happy coincidence
The two discoveries were a happy coincidence for the research team.
It was a happy coincidence for us that the sale started the day we went shopping.
Word forms
| plural | happy coincidences |
|---|
Common combinations
- by a happy coincidence
- By a happy coincidence, we both ordered the same dish.
- a happy coincidence that
- It was a happy coincidence that she knew the answer.
- a happy coincidence for
- The rain stopping was a happy coincidence for the picnic.
- pure happy coincidence
- Their meeting was a pure happy coincidence, not planned at all.
Synonyms and how they differ
- lucky coincidence
- Very similar, but 'lucky' emphasizes good fortune more than 'happy', which suggests pleasantness.
- fortunate coincidence
- More formal than 'happy coincidence' and often used in writing about events.
- fluke
- A fluke is a surprising and unlikely chance event, not necessarily pleasant; it can be neutral or negative.
Word family
- coincidence noun
- A situation in which two things happen at the same time by chance, without being planned.
- coincidental adjective
- Happening by chance, not planned.
- coincidentally adverb
- In a way that happens by chance.
Commonly confused: happy coincidence or coincidence?
happy coincidence vs coincidence
'Coincidence' simply means two things happening at the same time by chance; 'happy coincidence' adds that the result is pleasant or lucky.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'happy coincidence' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Option 0 uses the correct pattern 'It was a happy coincidence that + clause'. Option 1 uses 'for' incorrectly; option 2 lacks 'that' and is ungrammatical; option 3 uses 'to meet' where a 'that' clause is needed.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “happy coincidence”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.