intermittent

adjective

ˌin-tər-ˈmi-tᵊnt How to pronounce intermittent (audio)
Definition of intermittentnext
1
as in recurrent
occurring or appearing at intervals intermittent showers had me opening and closing my umbrella all day long

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sporadic
lacking in steadiness or regularity of occurrence the breadwinner's intermittent employment put the family in a difficult position financially

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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 intermittent The best chance of showers will be during the morning hours, with more intermittent light showers possible through the afternoon and evening. — CBS News, 3 Nov. 2026 In the case of intermittent signals, the culprit might never be found. — IEEE Spectrum, 28 Oct. 2026 Younger generations’ exposure to social media content promoting GLP-1 microdosing or intermittent or sporadic use of the medications may influence these behaviors, too, Albaugh adds. — Anna L. Goldman, EverydayHealth.com, 27 Oct. 2026 Bus noise was a similar story, with the low engine rumble handled well and only some of the higher-frequency intermittent sounds sneaking through. — Christian De Looper, PC Magazine, 26 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for intermittent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for intermittent
  1. recurrent
  2. sporadic
  3. recurring
  4. occasional
  5. periodic
  6. sudden
Adjective
  • Urinary urgency, frequent urination, burning with urination and recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) can also occur.
    — Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 27 Oct. 2026
  • But the 2026 study found that only 15% of women diagnosed with recurrent UTIs showed evidence of problems limited to the bladder or urinary tract.
    — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of recurrent
Adjective
  • Credit goes to the cast, particularly Byrne and Gleeson, for internalizing their showy character quirks to such a degree that Sam’s limp, vision impairment, and sporadic stutter — yes, also a stutter!
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 12 Nov. 2026
  • McCord has had sporadic first-team reps in practice the first half of the season, according to Hafley, since Miami traded with Green Bay for him ahead of the season.
    — David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of sporadic
Adjective
  • External revenue rose $118 million from the prior quarter to $411 million, though the increase was primarily due to a non-recurring customer program.
    — Zev Fima, CNBC, 30 Oct. 2026
  • How Recurring Revenue Is The Pump There’s only one kind of funding that reliably shows up in year seven—recurring, unrestricted revenue.
    — Sarah Evans, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of recurring
Adjective
  • Medics and nurses here do simulations often, both to pass the Critical Care Academy, and also to stay up to date on occasional but critical events, like emergency births, newborn resuscitation, and burns.
    — Elaine Appleton-Grant, NPR, 8 Nov. 2026
  • But for Mao, the occasional allergic reaction is apparently a small price to pay for some quality cat time.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of occasional
Adjective
  • The men and women, both of whom split their home games between Hartford and M&T Bank Center at Gampel Pavilion on campus, have staged periodic doubleheaders in the years since, when schedules intersected.
    — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The ranch offers periodic whole- and half-animal shares, and also has an on-site store at 1605 Cook Rd.
    — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of periodic
Adjective
  • Sexton’s sudden departure forced Luka Doncic to re-enter a 20-point game.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 12 Nov. 2026
  • The scale-rich designs absorbed sudden, violent impacts without buckling, offered a massive range of tunable stiffness, and successfully cushioned delicate objects embedded deep inside them.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 12 Nov. 2026
Definition of sudden

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intermitted
intermittent
intermittently
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Cite this Entry

“Intermittent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/intermittent. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on intermittent

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about intermittent

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