as in sporadic
lacking in steadiness or regularity of occurrence
a night of fitful sleep did not leave me feeling well rested the next morning
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Recent Examples of fitful
As Major League Baseball’s Rays make their latest fitful pursuit to build a new Tampa Bay home, an Orlando group is feverishly working to develop a fanbase, win political support, and perhaps gain a chunk of tourism dollars for a ballpark in the event opportunity comes its way.
—
Ryan Gillespie,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 May 2026
That fitful sleep may lack the restorative qualities necessary for recovery.
—
Danielle Wilhour,
The Conversation,
5 May 2026
These are also machine washable, meaning despite coffee spills and the general wear and tear of a fitful sleeper, these can be properly cleaned in the wash.
—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
26 Apr. 2026
From the beginning, Rolling Stone had a fitful relationship with the counterculture that birthed it, Richardson reports.
—
James Sullivan,
San Francisco Chronicle,
3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fitful
Ryan Gillespie,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 May 2026
That fitful sleep may lack the restorative qualities necessary for recovery.
—
Danielle Wilhour,
The Conversation,
5 May 2026
These are also machine washable, meaning despite coffee spills and the general wear and tear of a fitful sleeper, these can be properly cleaned in the wash.
—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
26 Apr. 2026
From the beginning, Rolling Stone had a fitful relationship with the counterculture that birthed it, Richardson reports.
—
James Sullivan,
San Francisco Chronicle,
3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fitful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fitful
Adjective
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Utility Iren was doubling workers' shifts and adding generators to address sporadic power cuts in Turin as the electricity grid came under strain, a spokesperson said.
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While attractive due to its proximity to strong local and regional gas markets, exploration for this gas has been sporadic in the basin since the mid-1980s, with experts noting pilot projects were uneconomic, temporarily abandoned or failed.
Adjective
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Steward said the church has around 50 members, although many others in the area stop by for the occasional service.
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South winds increase to 15-25 mph with occasional gusts over 30 mph.
Adjective
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That would explain the intermittent touring stints in decades since.
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In just over a month, the company submitted claims for 78,663 items, mostly intermittent urinary catheters.
Adjective
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From a fatal weekend crash on the I-184 Connector to a sudden summer cooldown, here’s a roundup of top stories the Idaho Statesman has published this week.
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The blockbuster rulings that dominate the news cycle each June are not sudden flashes of judicial willpower.
Adjective
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Weather officials say erratic winds have been sending smoke to different parts of the region this weekend.
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That, of course, was shown at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, where the Jabulani grabbed headlines for its erratic and unpredictable movement — so much so that there’s a Wikipedia page dedicated to its criticisms.
Cite this Entry
“Fitful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fitful. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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