off and on

adverb

Definition of off and onnext
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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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of off and on Robertson Property Group has been conducting renovations in the theater off and on for the past several years, but there is currently no prospective opening date. — Pat Saperstein, Variety, 21 July 2026 After all, this hip has bothered him off and on since the 2021 season. — Dan Hayes, New York Times, 7 July 2026 Pharis continued to get minor rashes, off and on, for the next four years. — Charles Trepany, USA Today, 2 July 2026 Northern Minnesota will see thunderstorms off and on throughout the day. — Mike Augustyniak, CBS News, 26 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for off and on
Recent Examples of Synonyms for off and on
  1. sporadically
  2. intermittently
  3. periodically
  4. rarely
  5. seldom
Adverb
  • Amid the heat wave, thousands of Southland residents were sporadically without power as outages popped up in different communities.
    — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Smith was athletic enough to play all over the field and run track in high school and sporadically practiced with defensive backs in his two years at Georgia.
    — PJ Green, Kansas City Star, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of sporadically
Adverb
  • The result is a collection of novels that, while intermittently electrifying, expend an incredible quantity of words on the semiotics of TV marketing and the ethics of selling out.
    — Robert Rubsam, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The company said Riley was hired in 2008 and worked there intermittently for a total of slightly more than four and a half years.
    — Christopher Harris, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of intermittently
Adverb
  • Churches, neighborhoods, nonprofits, businesses, utilities and government should periodically engage in preparedness exercises so everyone understands their role.
    — Freida Graves, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Credit line reviews typically follow monthly or quarterly cycles; attrition models are refreshed periodically and applied in batch.
    — Julie Conroy, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of periodically
Adverb
  • That gives Mobu a sense of scale and openness rarely found within a superyacht of this size, the studio says.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Most people carry extraordinary stories worth telling, and raw imagination is rarely the limiting factor.
    — Coco Mao, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of rarely
Adverb
  • In addition, Russini’s work was seldom reliant on Vrabel as a source or subject.
    — Mike Semel, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Tedeschi Trucks Band seldom goes a calendar year between visits.
    — Bob Gendron, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of seldom

Browse Nearby Words

offal
off and on
off base
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Off and on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/off%20and%20on. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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