as in intermittently
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Recent Examples of fitfully
Bella Ramsey takes a break from killing zombies and avenging father figures, their usual pastimes in series The Last of Us, to fool around and fall in love in Sunny Dancer, a decidedly uneven but fitfully charming, YA-skewed British comedy-drama.
—
Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026
While many talk shows began as fitfully amusing discussions around relevant issues, some soon devolved into sordid and exploitative freak shows that encouraged verbal and physical altercations.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Jan. 2026
The city has been fitfully pursuing plans to renovate the stadium, widely regarded as an architectural and engineering marvel, since the administration of Mayor Tomás Regalado, who left office in 2017.
—Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
Now that the bill of losing with no end in sight has come due, the club’s latest rebuilding era has arrived fitfully and — despite Rutherford’s suggestion on Wednesday that the club has been preparing for this moment for two or three years — it’s arrived largely unplanned for.
—Thomas Drance, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026
The orchestra seemed only fitfully engaged with Dudamel’s direction—a warning sign amid hoopla.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
Shamet was fitfully productive when played in meaningful spot minutes during the postseason for New York last year.
—Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Sep. 2025
This book is a stylish pastiche, as an unnamed woman fitfully reconstructs herself under the thumb of a strange man.
—Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026
While many talk shows began as fitfully amusing discussions around relevant issues, some soon devolved into sordid and exploitative freak shows that encouraged verbal and physical altercations.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Jan. 2026
The city has been fitfully pursuing plans to renovate the stadium, widely regarded as an architectural and engineering marvel, since the administration of Mayor Tomás Regalado, who left office in 2017.
—Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 27 Jan. 2026
Now that the bill of losing with no end in sight has come due, the club’s latest rebuilding era has arrived fitfully and — despite Rutherford’s suggestion on Wednesday that the club has been preparing for this moment for two or three years — it’s arrived largely unplanned for.
—Thomas Drance, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026
The orchestra seemed only fitfully engaged with Dudamel’s direction—a warning sign amid hoopla.
—Alex Ross, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
Shamet was fitfully productive when played in meaningful spot minutes during the postseason for New York last year.
—Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Sep. 2025
This book is a stylish pastiche, as an unnamed woman fitfully reconstructs herself under the thumb of a strange man.
—Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fitfully
Adverb
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Agents in tactical gear carrying long guns ran intermittently toward the facility before officials determined there was no longer an imminent threat.—
Dave Boucher,
Freep.com,
13 Mar. 2026
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He was originally admitted in fall 2007 as a freshman and was enrolled, intermittently, through spring 2013.—
Alan G. Breed,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
Adverb
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Wet, frozen branches can snap unpredictably when under pressure and jagged edges cut through lightweight work gloves.—
Timothy Dale,
The Spruce,
15 Mar. 2026
-
In dysfunctional families, conflict often arises unpredictably, says O’Callaghan.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
15 Mar. 2026
Adverb
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Screen or email apnea happens when someone unconsciously holds their breath or breathes more shallowly while looking at their screen to answer emails or texts, explained Dora Kamau, lead mindfulness and meditation teacher at Headspace.—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Any direct influence probably came out unconsciously.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fitfully.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fitfully. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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