off and on

adverb

Synonyms of off and onnext
: 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
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Pittsburgh may be dry all day long, but places north of Pittsburgh should see a wintry mix off and on in the morning and afternoon. Ron Smiley, CBS News, 12 Mar. 2026 He was involved off and on with Joplin over the second half of the 1960s, two young hippies whose careers and temperaments drove them apart. Hillel Italie, Fortune, 9 Mar. 2026 He was involved off and on with Joplin over the second half of the 1960s, two young hippies whose careers and temperaments drove them apart. ABC News, 8 Mar. 2026 Jackson had been homeless off and on for only about a year before being slain, his family says. Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 25 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for off and on

Word History

First Known Use

1535, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of off and on was in 1535

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Cite this Entry

“Off and on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off%20and%20on. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.

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