intermittent

adjective

in·​ter·​mit·​tent ˌin-tər-ˈmi-tᵊnt 

1

: coming and going at intervals : not continuous

intermittent rain

also : occasional

intermittent trips abroad

2

of a stream or body of water : appearing and disappearing seasonally : sometimes dry

intermittently adverb

raining intermittently

Synonyms of intermittent

• recurrent
• recurring
• periodic

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.

Recent Examples on the Web

His speech came as intermittent attacks continued in the Strait of Hormuz off Iran's coast, where commercial shipping remained below prewar levels. — Arkansas Online, 24 Sep. 2026

Clare, who suffered intermittent memory loss, regained her full memory roughly two days later. — Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2026

His speech came as intermittent attacks continued in the Strait of Hormuz off Iran’s coast, where commercial shipping remained below prewar levels. — Farnoush Amiri, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026

In spite of the intermittent aesthetics of edginess, Bass is better understood as a foray into a classic mid-career pop-star conceit. — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin intermittent-, intermittens, present participle of intermittere — see intermit

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing intermittent

• intermittent claudication

Rhymes for intermittent

• remittent

Kids 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

intermittence

-ᵊn(t)s 

noun