1
as in random
lacking a definite plan, purpose, or pattern
so far your effort to land a summer job has been very erratic
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sporadic
lacking in steadiness or regularity of occurrence
because of your erratic attendance at practice, you're in danger of being cut from the team
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3
as in changing
not staying constant
business at the fast-food restaurant has been so erratic lately that the manager never knows how much staff to have on hand
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4
as in bizarre
different from the ordinary in a way that causes curiosity or suspicion
the animal's erratic behavior made her wonder if it was ill
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of erratic
At the same time, The Trumps’ administration’s erratic and inconsistent messaging has also allowed for Wall Street to start pricing in volatility.
—
Earl Carr, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
Even so, the tariffs, their erratic implementation and the resulting economic uncertainty have weighed on businesses and consumers in the UK.
—Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 12 June 2025
According to Red Bull team boss Christian Horner, the team's complaint is due to erratic driving behind the safety car and not leaving an appropriate gap.
—Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 June 2025
And some erratic vibrations were detected at points last week as the stark outperformance of year-to-date laggards over the top 2025 performers prompted some comparisons to the nasty momentum-stock reversal of February and March that upset the market well before the tariff panic.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 14 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for erratic
Earl Carr, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
Even so, the tariffs, their erratic implementation and the resulting economic uncertainty have weighed on businesses and consumers in the UK.
—Anna Cooban, CNN Money, 12 June 2025
According to Red Bull team boss Christian Horner, the team's complaint is due to erratic driving behind the safety car and not leaving an appropriate gap.
—Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 June 2025
And some erratic vibrations were detected at points last week as the stark outperformance of year-to-date laggards over the top 2025 performers prompted some comparisons to the nasty momentum-stock reversal of February and March that upset the market well before the tariff panic.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 14 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for erratic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for erratic
Adjective
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The prime time talent show is once again ruining our viewing of acts by constantly cutting in reaction shots of the audience, hosts and random people.—
Ticked Off,
The Orlando Sentinel,
23 June 2025
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There is also the potential random hijacking of energy cargoes in the Strait, which has precedent.—
Gaurav Sharma,
Forbes.com,
22 June 2025
Adjective
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Iran needs nuclear energy to meet the demands of its growing population; sporadic blackouts are already commonplace.—
Robin Wright,
New Yorker,
16 June 2025
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It’s sparked protests, vandalism and sporadic clashes with police that prompted President Trump to send military troops to downtown L.A., sparking questions over state rights.—
Libor Jany,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2025
Adjective
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While most players at the KPMG Women's PGA Championship are battling the Texas heat, slow play, and a demanding Fields Ranch East layout, Leona Maguire is dealing with something far more bizarre—tick bites!—
Devlina Sarkar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 June 2025
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The bizarre mix of world football and American football was once again clashing early in the game.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
20 June 2025
Adjective
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But such readings can hardly account for the urgency, and occasional stridency, of le Carré’s post-Cold War novels.—
Rav Grewal-Kök
June 16,
Literary Hub,
16 June 2025
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Because geniuses tend not to specialize in things like picking up after themselves, the human price is often paid by a long-suffering partner-secretary—wifely figures like Véra Nabokov, Sophia Tolstoy, and Alice B. Toklas, or the occasional husband like Leonard Woolf.—
S. C. Cornell,
New Yorker,
16 June 2025
Adjective
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That means Juno’s radio transmissions will experience the Doppler effect, where the wavelength shifts slightly in response to Io’s uneven gravitational field.—
Robin Andrews,
Wired News,
15 June 2025
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Avoid wobbly or uneven fittings to keep everything centered.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 June 2025
Adjective
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The night before the baby junco landed in the research team’s net, a strange, shifting light filtered through the forest, not far from where the Long Trail, Vermont’s end-to-end hiking route, traverses the Mount Mansfield ridgeline.—
Madeline Bodin,
Smithsonian Magazine,
27 June 2025
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But one of the strangest well wishes came not from a person, but a 1,400-foot-tall building.—
Stephen Daw,
Billboard,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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This anecdote is a perfect snapshot of Jameela’s lifelong refusal to accept arbitrary rules.—
Mandeep Rai,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
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Choosing a side for the wall would have been arbitrary.—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
22 June 2025
Adjective
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That amounts to success through delay—a repeatable outcome, sustained through intermittent precision attacks.—
David A. Deptula,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
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Despite the relentless pre-match hype montages, intermittent deluges of FIFA self-congratulation and the blasting of Robbie Williams’ hilariously self-parodic tournament theme song at half-time.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
17 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Erratic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/erratic. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.
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