casual
gb/kˈæʒuəl/ us/kˈæʒuəl/
A2
English
~ 4900
Senses
0 senses
adjective
A2
property
1
Relaxed and informal
Relaxed and not formal.
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] is casual
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'casual' with 'causal'; they are unrelated words.
Synonyms
informal (Similar meaning but can apply to settings, language, or events without strict formality.)
Antonyms
formal (Opposite in that it describes something done according to strict rules or with a serious manner.)
Collocations
casual clothes
|casual conversation
|casual atmosphere
|casual meeting
Themes
daily life
|appearance
|behavior
|communication
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He wore casual clothes to the party.
- Our office has a casual atmosphere.
- They had a casual meeting over coffee.
- Her casual tone made everyone feel comfortable.
Learner examples
- I like casual clothes.
- This is a casual dinner.
- He has a casual style.
- We talked in a casual way.
adjective
B1
property
2
Unplanned or spontaneous
Happening without planning or thinking much.
Usage pattern:
[event/action] is casual
Synonyms
spontaneous (Implies happening naturally without planning, often with positive connotations.)
Antonyms
deliberate (Done with careful thought and planning.)
Collocations
casual remark
|casual comment
|casual meeting
Themes
daily life
|events
|daily_life
|time
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- It was just a casual remark, not meant to offend.
- We had a casual chat in the hallway.
- His casual visit was a surprise.
Learner examples
- It was a casual meeting.
- She made a casual comment.
- We met in a casual way.
adjective
B2
property
3
Unconcerned or indifferent
Not showing much care or worry.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is casual about [something]
Synonyms
nonchalant (Suggests a cool, calm lack of concern, sometimes deliberately so.)
Antonyms
concerned (Showing interest, care, or worry about something.)
Collocations
casual attitude
|casual response
Themes
behavior
|attitude
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She was very casual about the deadline.
- He gave a casual shrug.
- They took a casual approach to safety.
Learner examples
- He is casual about his work.
- She is casual about the rules.
- They are casual about time.
adjective
B1
property
4
Temporary or irregular employment
Working only sometimes, not full-time.
Usage pattern:
[someone] has/is in casual work
Synonyms
temporary (Describes work that is not permanent, but may be more structured than 'casual'.)
Antonyms
permanent (Describes work that continues without an end date.)
Collocations
casual job
|casual worker
Themes
work
|employment
|business
Examples
- He found some casual work at the cafe.
- Casual workers are not given benefits.
- She prefers casual jobs during summer.
Learner examples
- I have a casual job.
- He is a casual worker.
- She works in a casual way at the store.
adjective
B1
property
5
Occasional or infrequent
Happening sometimes, not often.
Synonyms
occasional (Direct synonym in this sense; means happening irregularly.)
Antonyms
regular (Happening at consistent intervals.)
Collocations
casual visitor
Themes
frequency
|time
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- They were just casual visitors to the town.
- I am only a casual reader of that magazine.
- Casual meetings can lead to new friendships.
Learner examples
- I am a casual visitor here.
- He is a casual reader of books.
- We have casual meetings.
Grammar
Dictionary form
casual
IPA
GB/kˈæʒuəl/
US/kˈæʒuəl/
Syllables & stress
cas - u - al (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (cas)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: casual
Word family
Expressions
casual acquaintance
1/kˈæʒuəl əkwˈeɪntəns/
fixed phrase
Slightly known person
Someone you know but not very well.
Examples
- He's just a casual acquaintance from the gym.
- I have many casual acquaintances in my neighborhood.
casual clothes
1/kˈæʒuəl klˈoʊðz/
fixed phrase
Informal clothing style
Clothes that are comfortable and not formal.
Examples
- He wore casual clothes to the barbecue.
- Casual clothes are fine for today's meeting.
casual Friday
1/kˈæʒuəl fɹˈaɪdˌeɪ/
fixed phrase
Workday with relaxed dress code
Friday at work when people can wear informal clothes.
Examples
- Our office has casual Friday every week.
- On casual Friday, I wear jeans to work.
casual remark
1/kˈæʒuəl ɹɪmˈɑɹk/
fixed phrase
Unplanned comment or statement
Something said without much thought or planning.
Examples
- It was just a casual remark, but it offended her.
- He made a casual remark about the weather.