now and then

adverb

: from time to time : occasionally
now and then we go off to the country

Examples of now and then in a Sentence

we do go to the library now and then, but not as often as we should
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.
Every now and then, a fresh Mickey slips out of the regeneration machine and tumbles slickly onto the floor like a fleshy alien. Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 7 Mar. 2025 Golf here can often be combined with other marquee travel events, from the Super Bowl (now and then) to annual Major League Baseball Spring Training (right now!), NFL and NBA games, the famed Barrett-Jackson Collector Car auction and others. Larry Olmsted, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025 But Samuel won’t be able to save face between now and then. Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2025 Getting some looks at different line combinations between now and then — things Berube can go to when the ol’ standby isn’t working — is going to be imperative. James Mirtle, The Athletic, 18 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for now and then

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of now and then was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Now and then.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/now%20and%20then. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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