as in on and off
not constantly or steadily over a period of time
They've been dating off and on for almost a year.
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Recent Examples of off and on
Doute soon became one of the show’s stars and main driver of plot lines, from her bid to prove her ex, Tom Sandoval, was a cheater, to her precarious employment at SUR and off and on friendships with costars Stassi Schroeder and Katie Maloney.
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Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 6 Dec. 2024
Uber has offered limited Christmas tree delivery, off and on, since 2015 — usually through partnerships with local vendors.
—Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 5 Dec. 2024
For 35 episodes, Northrop — appearing off and on over six years — starred as Michael Culhane, the chauffeur to John Forsythe’s oil tycoon Blake Carrington.
—Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 2 Dec. 2024
The singer has been performing in Vegas off and on since 30 came out, and also added a mini-residency in Munich to her duties.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 1 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for off and on 
Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 6 Dec. 2024
Uber has offered limited Christmas tree delivery, off and on, since 2015 — usually through partnerships with local vendors.
—Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 5 Dec. 2024
For 35 episodes, Northrop — appearing off and on over six years — starred as Michael Culhane, the chauffeur to John Forsythe’s oil tycoon Blake Carrington.
—Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 2 Dec. 2024
The singer has been performing in Vegas off and on since 30 came out, and also added a mini-residency in Munich to her duties.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 1 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for off and on
Recent Examples of Synonyms for off and on
Adverb
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Hardly any sleep, eating sporadically, always a wary eye on the weather, but in this case you’re surrounded by water with nobody around for possibly hundreds of miles.George Allen, Robb Report, 15 Jan. 2025
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The reptile wiggles its feet back and forth sporadically.Kelli Bender, People.com, 14 Jan. 2025
Adverb
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Long ago, Southern California’s scrub-forest ecosystems would periodically burn, limiting fuel for future fires.Justin Angle, The Conversation, 16 Jan. 2025
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Since that time, attempts to overturn Wong Kim Ark have arisen periodically.Rachel E. Rosenbloom / Made by History, TIME, 15 Jan. 2025
Adverb
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The problem is that overachievers are rarely the ones who push back.Benjamin Laker, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
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It’s rarely used for hives and is generally prescribed only in specific situations when other medicines are unhelpful for chronic hives.15 17.Sarah Jividen, Verywell Health, 15 Jan. 2025
Adverb
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In tallying up the casualties of war, there’s seldom a thought for the animal kingdom beyond our own two-legged species.Dennis Harvey, Variety, 8 Jan. 2025
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So does another Carter creation, seldom recognized by the people.K. Lloyd Billingsley, Orange County Register, 8 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near off and on
Cite this Entry
“Off and on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/off%20and%20on. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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