sporadically

adverb

spo·​rad·​i·​cal·​ly spə-ˈra-di-k(ə-)lē 

: in a sporadic manner : not regularly or constantly

gunfire being heard sporadically

software updates that appear sporadically

Originally from the western Pacific Ocean, the shrimp have been spotted sporadically in U.S. waters for the past two decades.

—Rick Jervis

Even when the sun is being well behaved, parcels of plasma shoot sporadically toward Earth's dark side, prompting a bright aurora and intensifying radiation belts.

—Tim Beardsley

Examples of sporadically in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For months, the two countries have traded fire sporadically across their long, mountainous border, leaving hundreds of people dead. — Abdul Qahar Afghan, Fortune, 19 Aug. 2026

Naughty Bits ended in 2005 and Gregory’s work has appeared sporadically in other outlets. — Rob Salkowitz, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026

In addition to sporadically continuing her acting career in titles like The Last Song, LOL and Black Mirror, Cyrus has mostly pivoted to music. — Giovana Gelhoren, InStyle, 15 Aug. 2026

But Rydell preferred to direct, if somewhat sporadically, and to produce, forming a partnership with Sydney Pollock in the mid-1980s, Sanford Prods. — Carmel Dagan, Variety, 14 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1681, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for sporadically

• radically