occasionally

adverb

oc·​ca·​sion·​al·​ly ə-ˈkā-zh(ə-)nə-lē 

: on occasion : now and then

dines out occasionally

We occasionally see deer in the field.

Synonyms

• sometimes

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

The Orionid meteor shower, which peaks in mid-October annually, is set to reach its maximum activity soon — offering skywatchers a dazzling celestial spectacle, as the fast-moving meteors occasionally become fireballs, appearing brighter than any of the stars or planets in the night sky. —Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 20 Oct. 2025

The men trained together occasionally at a Thai-boxing gym. —Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025

His writing covers technology, sustainability, geopolitics, and occasionally fiction. —Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2025

Chelsea occasionally bypassed the press with Gusto, a right-back playing in midfield, and captain Reece James interchanging positions, but were not helped by sloppy moments. —Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025

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

Phrases Containing occasionally

• very occasionally

Kids Definition

occasionally

adverb

oc·​ca·​sion·​al·​ly -ē 

: from time to time

occasionally goes to the movies