occasionally

adverb

oc·​ca·​sion·​al·​ly ə-ˈkā-zh(ə-)nə-lē How to pronounce occasionally (audio)
: on occasion : now and then
dines out occasionally
We occasionally see deer in the field.

Examples of occasionally in a Sentence

Occasionally, things don't go as planned. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.
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.
Cut loose by the Pirates after the 1957 season, Montemayor was signed to minor league contracts with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs, occasionally appearing in major league spring training games over the next three years. Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Newsweek, 5 Feb. 2025 What’s most interesting is the enormous generational divide on display between Gen X and the younger Millennial / Gen Z contestants which feels rather unique and occasionally unnerving. James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Feb. 2025 There’s a neighboring funeral director named West who stops in occasionally and whose financial success in his field is the subject of a lot of gossip in the restaurants. Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 4 Feb. 2025 The base already houses a migrant facility - separate from the high-security U.S. prison for foreign terrorism suspects - that has been used occasionally for decades, including to hold Haitians and Cubans picked up at sea. Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali, USA TODAY, 4 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for occasionally 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English occasionaly "on a particular occasion, sometimes," from occasyonal occasional + -ly -ly entry 2

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of occasionally was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near occasionally

Cite this Entry

“Occasionally.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/occasionally. Accessed 18 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

occasionally

adverb
oc·​ca·​sion·​al·​ly -ē How to pronounce occasionally (audio)
: from time to time
occasionally goes to the movies

More from Merriam-Webster on occasionally

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