off and on

adverb

: with periodic cessation : intermittently

rained off and on all day

off-and-on adjective

They have an off-and-on relationship.

off-and-on work

Examples of off and on in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Since then, it’s charted off and on, bouncing in and out of weekly rankings all around the world, depending on spikes in interest, competition and streaming activity. —Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025

Has anyone tried to turn Elon off and on again? Guns! —Pat Beall, Orlando Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2025

Having covered civil rights debates off and on for about a half-century, I am reminded of perhaps the most famous reverse discrimination case: Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, the 1978 landmark Supreme Court case that challenged the use of racial quotas in college admissions. —Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2025

The popular programming block has been used many times off and on over the years since its initial beginnings in 1989. —Lauren Huff, EW.com, 19 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1535, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for off and on

• aileron
• antiphon
• autobahn
• carillon
• castellan
• celadon
• cephalon
• chitosan
• cynodon
• denouement
• deuteron
• echelon