on and off 1 of 2

adverb

Definition of on and offnext
as in off and on
not constantly or steadily over a period of time It's been raining on and off all afternoon.

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

on-and-off

2 of 2

adjective

as in recurrent
occurring or appearing at intervals an on-and-off friendship over the years

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for on and off
  1. off and on
  2. recurrent
  3. sporadically
  4. recurring
  5. periodic
  6. periodically
  7. intermittent
  8. occasionally
Adverb
  • 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.
    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
Definition of off and on
Adjective
  • This became a recurrent theme for Glenmark in subsequent years as FDA investigators dinged one plant after another for failing to follow manufacturing processes that prevent defective drugs from winding up in American medicine cabinets.
    Patricia Callahan, ProPublica, 12 Dec. 2024
  • He was later diagnosed with recurrent pericarditis, a painful and debilitating chronic autoinflammatory disease which affects 40,000 people in the U.S. every year.
    Sean Neumann, People.com, 7 Oct. 2024
Definition of recurrent
Adverb
  • Prior to the Inflation Reduction Act in 2022, the IRS non-filer program had run sporadically since 2016.
    Eamon Javers, CNBC, 5 Dec. 2024
  • Playing the waiting game too long with someone who has shown flashes of brilliance so sporadically will come to bite you in the end.
    Arpon Basu, The Athletic, 23 Nov. 2024
Definition of sporadically
Adjective
  • Anxiety about pocketbook issues, however, formed a recurring and persistent theme.
    David Lauter, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2024
  • The company has bolstered its software and securities business to diversify and bring in more recurring subscription revenue.
    Ari Levy, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2024
Definition of recurring
Adjective
  • Like the son who succeeded him, Hafez al-Assad tolerated little dissent with oppression widespread and periodic bouts of extreme state violence.
    Simone McCarthy, CNN, 8 Dec. 2024
  • But periodic soil and water sampling by land managers could tip them off if the snakes show up.
    Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 7 Dec. 2024
Definition of periodic
Adverb
  • Monday Night Football Odds Pro football odds from FanDuel Sportsbook refresh periodically and are subject to change, including on props and live betting.
    Jay Ginsbach, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
  • During periods where a flare-up is not occurring, the virus isn't usually transmissible, although asymptomatic shedding can occur periodically in both HSV-1 and HSV-2 infections, even in people who have no visible outbreaks.
    Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 10 Dec. 2024
Definition of periodically
Adjective
  • Hegseth and his supporters have defended his resume, which includes degrees from Princeton and Harvard and intermittent service over 20 years in the Army National Guard, which included tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, achieving the rank of major, and advocating for veterans.
    Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2024
  • Like other parts of the home, toilets need intermittent repairs, especially to their valves, gaskets, and flanges—not to mention the occasional toilet unclogging.
    Rabekah Henderson, Southern Living, 5 Dec. 2024
Definition of intermittent
Adverb
  • To the casual viewer, it was never made clear that the Sony Spider-Man Universe and the MCU were separate franchises that occasionally overlapped; at times, both studios seemed uncertain of how the two universes should collide.
    Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
  • This terrifying and occasionally gory tale follows a warrior in an unfamiliar environment forced by a floating gold orb, Puck, to eat many enemies, thus becoming stronger.
    Felecia Wellington Radel, USA TODAY, 13 Dec. 2024
Definition of occasionally
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near on and off

on-and-off

on and off

on an even keel

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“On and off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/on%20and%20off. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

Point of View: It's Personal

Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Words You Always Have to Look Up
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Birds Say the Darndest Things

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

10 Scrabble Words Without Any Vowels
See All

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
naughty or nice
Are you naughty or nice? Quiz He's making a quiz, and checking it twice...