chancy
chancy — adjective
- chancypositive
- chanciercomparative
- chanciestsuperlative
1. likely to have a bad or uncertain result because it depends on chance.
likely to have a bad or uncertain result because it depends on chance.
Driving through the mountains after midnight felt chancy because the road was icy.
felt chancy: seemed risky and uncertain
The investor rejected a chancy proposal from the new gaming company.
a chancy proposal: a plan with a high risk of failure
Buying tickets at the door is chancy when the concert is popular.
It was chancy to rely on one supplier during the holiday rush.
文法句型
a chancy plan
be chancy
feel chancy
用法筆記
Often used in informal speech for a choice, plan, trip, investment, or method that might work but carries clear risk.
常見錯誤
Do not use 'chancy' to mean lucky or fortunate in ordinary learner English; use 'lucky' or 'fortunate' instead.
Use 'risky' in formal writing when you need a more neutral, common word.
2. done without a clear plan and guided mostly by chance.
done without a clear plan and guided mostly by chance.
The archive was sorted by a chancy system of boxes and handwritten notes.
a chancy system: arranged in a haphazard way
Their chancy seating plan put all the shy students together.
chancy seating plan: decided without careful design
The survey used a chancy method that missed many older residents.
A chancy mix of rumors and guesses shaped the early report.
- haphazard
common for something not planned well
- random
decided without a pattern or clear reason
- accidental
happening without intention
- planned
arranged deliberately
- systematic
done according to a clear method
文法句型
a chancy arrangement
a chancy pattern
a chancy process
用法筆記
This sense is uncommon. In most situations, 'haphazard', 'random', or 'accidental' will be clearer.
常見錯誤
Do not use this rare sense when you simply mean 'possible'; use 'possible' or 'uncertain' instead.