intermittent
adjective
in·ter·mit·tent
ˌin-tər-ˈmi-tᵊnt 
1
: coming and going at intervals : not continuous
intermittent rain
2
of a stream or body of water
: appearing and disappearing seasonally : sometimes dry
intermittently
adverb
raining intermittently
Examples of intermittent in a Sentence
In the intermittent light he could make out the shape of a solitary oak tree, spreading great arms from its short tremendous trunk.
—
Susan Cooper, The Dark is Rising, (1973) 1999
Decades of intermittent but recurring controversies with imperial authorities, and the lodestar of the glorious Revolution, disposed Americans to continue to believe that representation existed, first and foremost, to protect the rights of their communities against the abuse of executive power.
—Jack N. Rakove, Original Meanings, 1996
Bronchodilators continue to play an important role in asthma treatment, especially for people who have relatively mild or intermittent attacks.
—Stephen Hoffmann, Harvard Medical School Health Letter, June 1991
The patient was having intermittent pains in his side.
The forecast is for intermittent rain.
Susan Cooper, The Dark is Rising, (1973) 1999
Decades of intermittent but recurring controversies with imperial authorities, and the lodestar of the glorious Revolution, disposed Americans to continue to believe that representation existed, first and foremost, to protect the rights of their communities against the abuse of executive power.
—Jack N. Rakove, Original Meanings, 1996
Bronchodilators continue to play an important role in asthma treatment, especially for people who have relatively mild or intermittent attacks.
—Stephen Hoffmann, Harvard Medical School Health Letter, June 1991
The patient was having intermittent pains in his side.
The forecast is for intermittent rain.
Recent Examples on the Web
Battery energy storage systems that suck up cheap power during periods of low demand, then discharge it at a profit during periods of high demand, are considered critical with the rise of intermittent energy sources such as wind and solar.
—Jessica Coacci, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2025
The former dancer found success in intermittent fasting, eating clean foods, going for long walks daily and taking workout classes with the Fitbit app.
—Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 2 Oct. 2025
Advertisement There have also been intermittent drug shortages that have affected doctors’ ability to quickly treat pregnant people with syphilis, Finley says.
—Chantelle Lee, Time, 26 Sep. 2025
For a large utility like TVA, the exploration of fusion is part of a long-term strategy to identify reliable, on-demand, and non-emitting power sources that can operate alongside intermittent renewables like solar and wind.
—Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for intermittent
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Jessica Coacci, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2025
The former dancer found success in intermittent fasting, eating clean foods, going for long walks daily and taking workout classes with the Fitbit app.
—Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 2 Oct. 2025
Advertisement There have also been intermittent drug shortages that have affected doctors’ ability to quickly treat pregnant people with syphilis, Finley says.
—Chantelle Lee, Time, 26 Sep. 2025
For a large utility like TVA, the exploration of fusion is part of a long-term strategy to identify reliable, on-demand, and non-emitting power sources that can operate alongside intermittent renewables like solar and wind.
—Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for intermittent
Cite this Entry
“Intermittent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intermittent. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
intermittent
adjective
in·ter·mit·tent
ˌint-ər-ˈmit-ᵊnt
: starting, stopping, and starting again
an intermittent fever
intermittently
adverb
Medical Definition
intermittent
adjective
in·ter·mit·tent
ˌint-ər-ˈmit-ᵊnt
: coming and going at intervals : not continuous
intermittent fever
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