main chance

noun

: the best chance for personal or financial gain
kept an eye on the main chance

Examples of main chance in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Thursday brings our main chance of rain the next several days as a cold front comes through. — Dan Stillman, Washington Post, 12 Oct. 2022 The two become precarious friends, with Norma forever seizing the main chance, often to Susan’s detriment. — Katherine A. Powers, Washington Post, 7 June 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1577, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of main chance was in 1577

Rhymes for main chance

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Cite this Entry

“Main chance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/main%20chance. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.

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