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

Repeatedly taking your shoes off and on is time-consuming and exasperating. — R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2026

All in all, the second seizure lasted about 4 hours off and on. — Vanessa Romo, NPR, 20 Aug. 2026

Although Walker and Gaul continued seeing each other off and on until Gaul was a freshman in college, Walker eventually ended their relationship for good after a series of concerning incidents. — Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 15 Aug. 2026

The character was originated in 2009 by Nathan Dean, who played him off and on through 2020, and returned in April for a three-month stint on the soap. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1535, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for off and on

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