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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in recurrent
occurring or appearing at intervals
an on-and-off friendship over the years
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for on and off
Adverb
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These two men clashed off and on over decades of friendship and collaboration interrupted by icy public feuds, largely rooted in fights about Michael’s unrepentant drug use.—
Shana Naomi Krochmal,
Vulture,
4 Apr. 2025 -
San Jose resident David Torres, 56, who has lived outside off and on for about 15 years, said city and water district employees tossed nearly all of his possessions during a January sweep of Penitencia Creek in San Jose, including new tools, food for his dogs and a bicycle.—
Ethan Varian,
Mercury News,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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This type of fungal sinus infection typically requires surgery, followed by medical therapy to prevent recurrent infections.3 Saprophytic Fungal Sinusitis Saprophytic fungal sinusitis (SFS) initially presents without any symptoms.—
Laura Schober,
Health,
14 Apr. 2025
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The secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, a former Fox TV host, loads his X feed with images of himself working out in the gym and meeting with the mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor, underscoring his feed’s recurrent theme of politicized hypermasculinity.—
James Poniewozik,
New York Times,
5 Apr. 2025
Adverb
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Players trickled out sporadically, strolling to their respective vehicles, heading home for a little rest and relaxation prior to their game with the Sacramento Kings.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Apr. 2025
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But the community doesn’t count on the wildflowers each year for tourism and an economic boost, because the bloom happens so sporadically.—
Maura Fox,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Dobson says the research is coming now that the power engineering community increasingly recognizes cascading failures as a distinct and recurring problem—a concept that still elicited protests from power engineers in the aftermath of the 2003 blackout.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
14 Aug. 2013
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The strange makeup of recurring dreams Research has found that most recurring dreams have a negative tone with themes often related to helplessness, failure, or being chased.—
Stacey Colino,
TIME,
4 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Businesses in leisure and hospitality across the country reported fewer Canadian tourists, in part a response to Trump’s policies, according to the Federal Reserve’s periodic survey of businesses across the country.—
Nathaniel Meyersohn,
CNN Money,
25 Apr. 2025
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Contingent income notes offer periodic income—say, 9% annually—as long as the underlying asset or index doesn’t fall below a preset barrier.—
Sergei Klebnikov,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
Adverb
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Mud, pebbles, and any kind of debris fall into the container as the footwear dries, allowing cleaning to be a one-step process of emptying the container periodically.—
Lauren Carpenter,
USA Today,
22 Apr. 2025
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But since 2002, they have been found periodically in Illinois, including one sighting in Pike County in 2012, officials say.—
Mike Stunson,
Kansas City Star,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Based on the research, participants lost about 7 to 11 pounds over 10 weeks while intermittent fasting.18 Remember, fad diets are not healthy for you, especially long term.—
Sohaib Imtiaz,
Verywell Health,
23 Apr. 2025
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The pair are searching for the source of a particular beep: the intermittent ping that a smoke alarm makes when its battery is running low.—
Kirk Johnson,
New Yorker,
23 Apr. 2025
Adverb
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Why is Peter Krause leaving 9-1-1? DEADLINE: For a long-running drama like 9-1-1 to kill off a major star the reasons are often financial, sometime creative and occasionally both.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
17 Apr. 2025
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Early implementations have experienced technical glitches, such as those occasionally seen in MLB's 3D broadcasts, which sometimes led to humorous but unintended visual effects.—
Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report,
FOXNews.com,
17 Apr. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“On and off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/on%20and%20off. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
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