oc ‧ cur ‧ rence AC /əˈkʌrəns $ əˈkɜː-/ BrE AmE noun
[ Word Family: verb : ↑ occur ; noun : ↑ occurrence ]
1 . [countable] something that happens ⇨ occur
frequent/rare/common occurrence
Laughter was a rare occurrence in his classroom.
Flooding in the area is a common occurrence.
2 . [singular] the fact of something happening
occurrence of
The frequent occurrence of earthquakes in the area means that the buildings must be specifically designed to withstand the force.
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THESAURUS
▪ event something that happens, especially something important, interesting, or unusual:
He spoke of the tragic event in which more than 100 people died.
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recent political events
▪ occurrence /əˈkʌrəns $ əˈkʌrəns/ formal something that happens – used especially when saying how often something happens:
Divorce is a common occurrence these days.
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Storms like this one are fortunately a rare occurrence.
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Accidents are almost a daily occurrence on this road.
▪ incident something that happens, especially something that is unusual or unpleasant, or something that is one of several events:
He died after a violent incident outside a nightclub.
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This latest incident could put an end to his career.
▪ occasion an important social event or celebration:
She only wore the dress for special occasions.
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It was his 100th birthday, and friends and family gathered to mark the occasion.
▪ affair [usually singular] something that happens, especially something shocking in political or public life which involves several people and events:
The affair has caused people to lose confidence in their government.
▪ phenomenon /fɪˈnɒmənən, fɪˈnɒmɪnən $ fɪˈnɑːmənɑːn, -nən/ something that happens or exists in society, science, or nature, especially something that is studied because it is difficult to understand:
natural phenomena such as earthquakes
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Homelessness is not a new phenomenon.