as in randomly
without definite aim, direction, rule, or method
the police officer pulled over the driver, who had been spotted driving very erratically
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of erratically
The car froze momentarily behind a truck parked illegally, causing other drivers to honk erratically.
—
Bloomberg, Mercury News, 14 Oct. 2025
Showing Up’s potentially myopic perspective contrasts significantly from Reichardt’s Night Moves, a film about radical white environmental activists whose designs of blowing up a dam backfires, causing their inept leader Josh (Jesse Eisenberg) to erratically cover his tracks.
—Robert Daniels, Time, 10 Oct. 2025
Neely had schizophrenia, was behaving erratically, high on drugs and threatening riders.
—Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2025
Health departments, clinics, pharmacies and even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are all scrambling to adapt to erratically changing directives.
—Pia Pannaraj, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Sep. 2025
The suspect did not comply with officers’ commands to exit the vehicle and began acting erratically, police said.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Sep. 2025
After witnessing Nillo driving erratically after leaving the commissioner’s apartment building, investigators stopped her and seized the vehicle.
—Joey Flechas, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
Maybe not at first, when Kevin is acting erratically, arguing with his ex-wife about what’s best for their son, Shaun.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025
The document does not explain why the plane was moving so erratically.
—Sasha Hupka, AZCentral.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Bloomberg, Mercury News, 14 Oct. 2025
Showing Up’s potentially myopic perspective contrasts significantly from Reichardt’s Night Moves, a film about radical white environmental activists whose designs of blowing up a dam backfires, causing their inept leader Josh (Jesse Eisenberg) to erratically cover his tracks.
—Robert Daniels, Time, 10 Oct. 2025
Neely had schizophrenia, was behaving erratically, high on drugs and threatening riders.
—Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2025
Health departments, clinics, pharmacies and even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are all scrambling to adapt to erratically changing directives.
—Pia Pannaraj, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Sep. 2025
The suspect did not comply with officers’ commands to exit the vehicle and began acting erratically, police said.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Sep. 2025
After witnessing Nillo driving erratically after leaving the commissioner’s apartment building, investigators stopped her and seized the vehicle.
—Joey Flechas, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2025
Maybe not at first, when Kevin is acting erratically, arguing with his ex-wife about what’s best for their son, Shaun.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 6 Sep. 2025
The document does not explain why the plane was moving so erratically.
—Sasha Hupka, AZCentral.com, 5 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for erratically
randomly
Adverb
-
These options let the computer randomly generate numbers for you.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr,
USA Today,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Poets from across the country apply and are randomly selected to perform at events in New York, or at pop-up showcases in other cities worldwide.—
Megan Sauer,
CNBC,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Erratically.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/erratically. Accessed 27 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share