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
Rain is expected to begin Friday night into Saturday morning and continue off and on through the weekend, said National Weather Service meteorologist Kyle Wheeler.
—
Sydney Barragan, Oc Register, 8 Apr. 2026
Just then the lights in the apartment flicked off and on, then off again, leaving them in the dark, so Louise hung up.
—Catherine Lacey, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
Gadiano worked in the fields off and on from childhood into middle age.
—Kerry Klein, NPR, 31 Mar. 2026
That action could be done on a seasonal basis, or off and on during the summer.
—Chuck Fieldman, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for off and on
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Sydney Barragan, Oc Register, 8 Apr. 2026
Just then the lights in the apartment flicked off and on, then off again, leaving them in the dark, so Louise hung up.
—Catherine Lacey, New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2026
Gadiano worked in the fields off and on from childhood into middle age.
—Kerry Klein, NPR, 31 Mar. 2026
That action could be done on a seasonal basis, or off and on during the summer.
—Chuck Fieldman, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for off and on
Cite this Entry
“Off and on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off%20and%20on. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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