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
Rick JervisEven 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
Tim BeardsleyExamples of sporadically in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Drone strikes on the UAE are still occurring sporadically, but the wide-scale alerts of the early conflict have ceased — along with the associated distress.
—Melanie Swan, CNN Money, 1 June 2026
Tea olive can be grown as a 10-20 foot shrub or tree, blooming in spring, summer, and sporadically throughout the year.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 27 May 2026
Nonetheless, without those three midfielders routinely in the changing room, all leading professionals, standards sporadically slipped, with others, who had struggled for consistent starts and were not convincing Emery in training, late on occasion.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 21 May 2026
Misael eating meat alone, cutting up pieces with an enormous knife while barely lit by the flames in front of him, and, sporadically, almost-silent lightning bursts in the distant background.
—Vadim Rizov, IndieWire, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sporadically
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Melanie Swan, CNN Money, 1 June 2026
Tea olive can be grown as a 10-20 foot shrub or tree, blooming in spring, summer, and sporadically throughout the year.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 27 May 2026
Nonetheless, without those three midfielders routinely in the changing room, all leading professionals, standards sporadically slipped, with others, who had struggled for consistent starts and were not convincing Emery in training, late on occasion.
—Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 21 May 2026
Misael eating meat alone, cutting up pieces with an enormous knife while barely lit by the flames in front of him, and, sporadically, almost-silent lightning bursts in the distant background.
—Vadim Rizov, IndieWire, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sporadically
Cite this Entry
“Sporadically.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sporadically. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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