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 of occasionally

• 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

From there, my sister’s friend/my neighbor went out to happy hour with our husbands occasionally. — R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2026

Princess Diana notably enjoyed wearing the brooch as a pendant instead of a pin, and occasionally showcased its drop emerald, per InStyle. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 26 June 2026

But while there are occasionally funny moments, these movies are emblematic of the dumbing down of America. — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 25 June 2026

This worked fine most of the time, but might occasionally hit a snag. — Literary Hub, 25 June 2026

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