now and then

adverb

: from time to time : occasionally
now and then we go off to the country

Examples of now and then in a Sentence

we do go to the library now and then, but not as often as we should
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Unfortunately, its bye week won't be until Week 14, and four of its seven games between now and then will be on the road. Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025 Anderson, the driver, watched as things were loaded, helping with the lift every now and then. Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Oct. 2025 Every now and then, a sneaker arrives that refuses to fit neatly into a single category. Christopher Claxton, Billboard, 10 Oct. 2025 People ate off paper plates, added hot sauce from squeeze bottles and bopped their heads under purple lights, pausing now and then to toss back an oyster. Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for now and then

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of now and then was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Now and then.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/now%20and%20then. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!