ON AND OFF Synonyms: 72 Similar and Opposite Words

on and off 1 of 2

adverb

Definition of on and off

as in off and on

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

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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

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 on and off

Adjective

Not heralded as returning are Adam Driver (who played Hannah’s on-and-off actor boyfriend Adam) and former co-showrunner Jenni Konner (with whom Dunham had a creative breakup after the show ended). — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 13 Oct. 2026 Not mentioned in the returning cast is Adam Driver, who played Hannah’s (Dunham) on-and-off boyfriend in the series. — Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 13 Oct. 2026 Adam Driver, who starred as Hannah’s on-and-off love interest Adam, and co-showrunner and executive producer Jenni Konner. — Selome Hailu, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026 James Hager arrived at Lopez’s Palm Drive home in Key Largo to stop him from beating his on-and-off-again girlfriend, according to Lopez’s arrest report. — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2026 Prior to her connection with Pillsbury, Johnson was in an on-and-off relationship with Martin, Coldplay’s frontman. — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026 Hayden Panettiere’s on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson is speaking out amid the ongoing investigation into the late Nashville actress’s tragic death at 36. — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 17 Sep. 2026 Detailed in the script, Carrie crushes the spewing water pipes with her mind, but the folks manning the on-and-off switches aren’t yet in sync. — Entertainment Weekly, 15 Sep. 2026 Justin and Hailey officially wed in September 2018 at a New York City courthouse after years of on-and-off dating. — Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 13 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for on and off

Adverb

The band continued off and on over the following years, with Sara Surkamp joining on acoustic guitar and vocals in 2006.

— Jem Aswad, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
One man records himself using the claws to screw bottle lids off and on.

— Diaa Hadid, NPR, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of off and on

Adjective

Patient advocates and clinicians say the recent advancements in treatment could mark the beginning of a new era in sickle cell care, one that may free thousands from recurrent episodes of debilitating pain and improve long-term health outcomes.

— Steven Ross Johnson, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
The year-over-year tightening of global stocks in 2026/27 may be encouraging higher price ideas, but as values have climbed higher, there have been recurrent pullbacks from the buying side.

— SJ Guest Editorial, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of recurrent

Adverb

Tyson Familiar and visually uninspired, yet still sporadically captivating.

— Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 13 Oct. 2026
Constructed at a cost to the US taxpayer of $300 million, the pier was retired after operating poorly and sporadically for just twenty days.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of sporadically

Adjective

How Recurring Revenue Is The Pump There’s only one kind of funding that reliably shows up in year seven—recurring, unrestricted revenue.

— Sarah Evans, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Excluding non-recurring events, the magnitude of the average S & P 500 earnings surprise for the quarter is still about 11%.

— Sarah Min, CNBC, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of recurring

Adverb

The administration has also intermittently pressured Ukraine to cave in its war of survival against Russian aggression.

— Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2026
Both robots had equal-power motors, with one providing steady, continuous motion in the rigid legs and the other intermittently storing energy and releasing it in snaps.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of intermittently

Adjective

Before the recent barn owl sightings, Williams and her husband heard periodic screeching noises outside going back to early September.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
Screeching was heard by residents Before the recent barn owl sightings, Williams and her husband heard periodic screeching noises outside going back to early September.

— Joseph B. Frederick, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of periodic

Adverb

After a dietary supplement goes to market, the FDA periodically inspects its manufacturing facilities and collects and tests some products.

— Andrew Yockey, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026
The landscape is dry and largely treeless, with canyons and volcanic monoliths periodically interrupting the otherwise unending steppe.

— Jordan Salama, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of periodically

Adjective

Ohtani has been playing with a bad knee and biceps for three months, and the Dodgers already have tried intermittent rest.

— Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
The amount of daylight, cool temperatures, and intermittent rain in autumn mimic what happens in spring when the peepers actively court and mate.

— Sheryl DeVore, Chicago Tribune, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of intermittent

Browse Nearby Words

on all hands

on and off

on-and-off

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

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

Copy Citation

Synonyms of on and off

adverb

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

compunction

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes