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

Flowers first appear in spring and then sporadically through summer and fall. —Steve Bender, Southern Living, 23 June 2026

Firmware updates for Apple’s earbuds happen sporadically and are usually accompanied by the briefest of release notes. —David Phelan, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026

But outbursts of xenophobic violence against foreigners also have accompanied that sporadically. —ABC News, 20 June 2026

His esoteric sidewalk pasta pop-up, Estrano, happens sporadically. —Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1681, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for sporadically

• radically