An event synonym has to match the kind of event, so start here: occasion, function, gathering, incident and occurrence cover the main cases. A wedding, a trade fair, a car crash and a solar eclipse are all events, yet you would not call them by one word.
Below, another word for events is sorted into social, work, everyday, historic and sporting senses. You also get the plural, tips on tone, and a warning about words that sound grand. Related pages include meeting, party and moment.
Swatch at a glance
Best swaps
occasion, function, gathering, incidentPart of speech
NounMost formal
function, occurrence, receptionMost casual
do, get-together, thingAntonyms
noneventWatch out
Incident often suggests trouble. Do not call a happy launch party an incident.Word forms covered
events, eventful, in the event of
Event synonym groups at a glance
| Type of event | Words | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Social | occasion, celebration, reception | The reception starts at seven. |
| Work | conference, seminar, workshop | Book a seat for the workshop. |
| Something that happened | incident, occurrence, episode | Staff reported the incident. |
| Historic | milestone, turning point, landmark | The vote was a turning point. |
| Sport | competition, race, fixture | The relay is the last race. |
Tone: from a casual do to a formal occasion
Friends might say there is a do at the club, a British casual word. Get together is relaxed and small. Gathering is neutral and can be any size. Function belongs to hotels, venues and invitations. Occasion suggests something special that people dress up for: a family occasion.
For the happenings sense, the scale runs from thing (casual) through happening and incident to occurrence, which is formal and common in reports.
Swaps you can use today
- The charity event raised money becomes the charity gala raised money.
- A company event becomes a staff get-together or a company function.
- The event happened at night becomes the incident happened at night.
- A rare event becomes a rare occurrence.
- Our biggest event of the year becomes our biggest celebration of the year.
An invitation draft says: "Join us for an event to mark the event of our tenth year." Fixing both: "Join us for a celebration to mark our tenth year."
Another word for event in essays and history writing
History essays need weight without drama. Development fits a change, episode fits a short stretch of time, and turning point or milestone fits a moment that changed things. Avoid calling every event a phenomenon; that word is for something observed, often unusual or scientific. For results that follow an event, the consequence page helps, and broader noun swaps live in the essay and academic words hub.
The opposite of an event
Event has no exact antonym, because it names a thing. The nearest is nonevent, an informal way to say something was a letdown or that nothing happened: the big launch was a nonevent. Words like calm or lull describe a period when nothing happens.
Frequently asked questions
What is a formal word for event?
Function and occasion are formal for planned gatherings. Occurrence is formal for something that happened.
What is another word for events on a calendar?
Activities, happenings, dates and fixtures all work. Fixtures is mostly used for sports matches.
Can I use incident instead of event?
Only if something went wrong or needs reporting. An incident at the factory sounds like an accident, not a party.
What is a synonym for a big event?
Milestone, landmark, highlight or major occasion. Gala and showcase fit public celebrations that are planned on a large scale.
What is a word for a series of events?
Sequence, chain of events or course of events. A string of events is a casual option.