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
They were married the year after and chronicled their lives off and on between 2019 and 2024, when Richards appeared on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
—
Mekishana Pierre, EW.com, 17 July 2025
Aitkens spent six to eight months, off and on, helping transcribe the Michigan lake data index cards, beginning in the winter of 2022-23.
—Keith Matheny, Freep.com, 14 July 2025
Another way of disrupting spyware is to turn your iPhone off and on again.
—Kate O'Flaherty, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
While the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has begun rolling back its shoes-off policy at security checkpoints, this ability to whip them off and on in seconds is still majorly convenient for travel.
—Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 29 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for off and on
Mekishana Pierre, EW.com, 17 July 2025
Aitkens spent six to eight months, off and on, helping transcribe the Michigan lake data index cards, beginning in the winter of 2022-23.
—Keith Matheny, Freep.com, 14 July 2025
Another way of disrupting spyware is to turn your iPhone off and on again.
—Kate O'Flaherty, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
While the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has begun rolling back its shoes-off policy at security checkpoints, this ability to whip them off and on in seconds is still majorly convenient for travel.
—Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 29 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for off and on
Recent Examples of Synonyms for off and on
Adverb
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Their medusa, or visible jellyfish stage, appears sporadically and unpredictably — a particular location might have them one year and not the next, even if conditions are similar.—
Keith Matheny,
Freep.com,
6 Aug. 2025
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Often compliance systems are bolted on to existing processes, addressed sporadically and evaluated primarily in terms of their ability to prevent penalties.—
Leo Patching,
Forbes.com,
5 Aug. 2025
Adverb
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Teams must curate diverse, representative comparisons and periodically audit outcomes.—
Ashutosh Synghal,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
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The Florida law requires county elections offices to periodically update the information on their voter rolls, either by contacting all voters — as Seminole is doing — or by reaching out only to voters who have not voted in the past two elections.—
Martin E. Comas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
2 Aug. 2025
Adverb
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Bats are mostly helpful, rarely harmful and play a vital role in the ecosystem.—
Tiffany Acosta,
AZCentral.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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Edwards rarely tires of watching back footage of the feat: his electric speed down the runway, the bounding strides of his jumping action, and the enormous final vault into the sandpit.—
George Ramsay,
CNN Money,
7 Aug. 2025
Adverb
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While unsightly, mildews and leaf spots will seldom kill annuals; however, blight and root rot are frequently the demise of the plant.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
15 Aug. 2025
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Here is what to keep an eye out for as the Premier League makes its return. Champions at a canter last time out, Liverpool have embarked on the kind of spending spree the most dominant teams in the Premier League seldom indulge in.—
Dan Cancian,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Off and on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/off%20and%20on. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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