sporadically

adverb

spo·​rad·​i·​cal·​ly spə-ˈra-di-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce sporadically (audio)
Synonyms of sporadically
: in a sporadic manner : not regularly or constantly
gunfire being heard sporadically
software updates that appear sporadically
Originally from the western Pacific Ocean, the shrimp have been spotted sporadically in U.S. waters for the past two decades.Rick Jervis
Even when the sun is being well behaved, parcels of plasma shoot sporadically toward Earth's dark side, prompting a bright aurora and intensifying radiation belts.Tim Beardsley

Examples of sporadically 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.
My 21-year-old child responds only sporadically to texts and phone calls, often going days or weeks without a response. R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2026 Even so, only 35 percent ask their suppliers to measure temperature and humidity inside production areas, and among those, 64 percent do so only sporadically. Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 25 June 2026 But in a roughly 30-minute interview, Nunn invoked the president only sporadically and called himself one of the most bipartisan members of Congress. Justin Papp, CNBC, 24 June 2026 While Nico O’Reilly hit the woodwork, Kane hit a field goal instead of an actual goal and Marc Guehi had a header cleared off the line, Ghana looked sporadically and worryingly dangerous in the second half in Boston. James Horncastle, New York Times, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for sporadically

Word History

First Known Use

1681, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sporadically was in 1681

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Cite this Entry

“Sporadically.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sporadically. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.

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