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

Now, over a century after that, the French government maintains research stations on the islands and sporadically sends ships to maintain equipment, deliver and return scientists for seasonal fieldwork, and perform supply and maintenance duties. — John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 8 July 2026

Handley recommends adding a small amount to your compost pile sporadically, then adding this to your soil or as a mulch at the base of your plants. — Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 4 July 2026

My 21-year-old child responds only sporadically to texts and phone calls, often going days or weeks without a response. — R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2026

Even so, only 35 percent ask their suppliers to measure temperature and humidity inside production areas, and among those, 64 percent do so only sporadically. — Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 25 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1681, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for sporadically

• radically