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
When Leo Lewis O’Neil’s documentary, Slauson Rec, about the actor’s fitful attempt to host a theater workshop premiered at Cannes in 2025, audiences were uncomfortable bearing witness to LaBeouf’s rage.
—
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 17 Feb. 2026
Signs of fitful progress appear Despite increasingly authoritarian governments in many parts of Asia and the rest of the world, there are some encouraging signs.
—Elaine Kurtenbach, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Already, 10 times more water evaporates off Arizona’s arid landscape and fitful rivers.
—Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Her daughter had fitful nights sleeping.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fitful
Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 17 Feb. 2026
Signs of fitful progress appear Despite increasingly authoritarian governments in many parts of Asia and the rest of the world, there are some encouraging signs.
—Elaine Kurtenbach, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Already, 10 times more water evaporates off Arizona’s arid landscape and fitful rivers.
—Shi En Kim, AZCentral.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Her daughter had fitful nights sleeping.
—Andrew Greif, NBC news, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fitful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fitful
Adjective
-
Flows are narcoleptic, drums are sporadic, and melodies are soft enough to live in a dollhouse.—
Olivier Lafontant,
Pitchfork,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Still, sporadic cross-border fighting had continued even while delegations from the two sides were attending the talks in Urumqi.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
According to the National Weather Service in Fort Worth/Dallas, showers and occasional storms will mainly affect Central Texas and the western portions of North Texas on Thursday, April 30.—
Mateo Rosiles,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
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However, dark chocolate is high in sugar and calories, so it should be eaten in moderation as an occasional treat.—
Amber J. Tresca,
Verywell Health,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The crew had intermittent toilet trouble from the first day of the mission.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
1 May 2026
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Ways to lower your blood sugar naturally include making lifestyle changes like walking after meals, eating more fiber, and using intermittent fasting.—
Cynthia Sass,
Health,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Early in his baseball career, Kaneland pitcher Jack Frey came to a sudden realization.—
Paul Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Apr. 2026
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The turmoil has included the sudden resignation of then-Supt.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
While playing his first full season as a starter last year, Manning looked like an erratic youngster for the first half of 2025, before eventually settling in and playing much better ball down the stretch.—
Nick Baumgardner,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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Trump’s erratic tariffs, his contempt for NATO, and uneven support for Ukraine’s defense against a Russian invasion have left him fairly alone.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fitful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fitful. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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