as in on and off
not constantly or steadily over a period of time
They've been dating off and on for almost a year.
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Recent Examples of off and on
The vigil, which sometimes grew into collective protests, continued off and on until March 6.
—
Danielle Wirsansky, The Conversation, 10 Mar. 2026
He was involved off and on with Joplin over the second half of the 1960s, two young hippies whose careers and temperaments drove them apart.
—Hillel Italie, Fortune, 9 Mar. 2026
He was involved off and on with Joplin over the second half of the 1960s, two young hippies whose careers and temperaments drove them apart.
—ABC News, 8 Mar. 2026
Jackson had been homeless off and on for only about a year before being slain, his family says.
—Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for off and on
Danielle Wirsansky, The Conversation, 10 Mar. 2026
He was involved off and on with Joplin over the second half of the 1960s, two young hippies whose careers and temperaments drove them apart.
—Hillel Italie, Fortune, 9 Mar. 2026
He was involved off and on with Joplin over the second half of the 1960s, two young hippies whose careers and temperaments drove them apart.
—ABC News, 8 Mar. 2026
Jackson had been homeless off and on for only about a year before being slain, his family says.
—Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for off and on
Recent Examples of Synonyms for off and on
Adverb
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No group has claimed responsibility but residents told The Associated Press that many gunmen on bikes shot sporadically into the community.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Mar. 2026
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Some airports publish wait times sporadically, and some don’t at all.—
Michele Luhn,
CNBC,
27 Mar. 2026
Adverb
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This dual-sensor setup improves tracking of low-observable or intermittently emitting targets.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Mar. 2026
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Gore’s potential, intermittently tapped, ranks among the game’s elite lefties.—
Kevin Sherrington
Mar. 25,
Dallas Morning News,
25 Mar. 2026
Adverb
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The two bodies established diplomatic ties in 1993 but have periodically faced tensions over access to holy sites and the treatment of Christian communities.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
30 Mar. 2026
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The crew will periodically close lanes, but the intersection and the traffic lights should remain on and open.—
Elle Meyers,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
Adverb
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The women, undefeated in 38 games and rarely challenged, earned their inevitable place at table with a 70-52 victory.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
30 Mar. 2026
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The imaging revealed some thickening in my breast tissue, which can indicate anything from an infection or cyst to (rarely) cancer.—
Jillian Wager,
Glamour,
30 Mar. 2026
Adverb
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The other cost-slashing option that is seldom practiced is the simulcast in which the radio network broadcasts the TV announcers, a path the Dallas Stars have preferred for decades.—
Mac Engel
April 2,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 Apr. 2026
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While cold temperatures impact foliage, the rhizomes are seldom damaged and new growth will emerge in spring.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Off and on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/off%20and%20on. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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