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
It’s been this way off and on most of my life.
—
Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 28 Nov. 2025
In came New Mexico backup quarterback James Laubstein, who is employed off and on for his running ability.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Nov. 2025
Instead of turning it off and on, consider reducing the temperature by a few degrees.
—Lauren David, Southern Living, 24 Nov. 2025
Rain showers are expected off and on throughout this time.
—Ron Smiley, CBS News, 17 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for off and on
Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 28 Nov. 2025
In came New Mexico backup quarterback James Laubstein, who is employed off and on for his running ability.
—Kirk Kenney, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Nov. 2025
Instead of turning it off and on, consider reducing the temperature by a few degrees.
—Lauren David, Southern Living, 24 Nov. 2025
Rain showers are expected off and on throughout this time.
—Ron Smiley, CBS News, 17 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for off and on
Recent Examples of Synonyms for off and on
Adverb
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Embiid, too, has been sporadically resting his left knee.—
Alex Kirschenbaum,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Nov. 2025
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Occasional light rain fell sporadically.—
Rick Hurd,
Mercury News,
6 Nov. 2025
Adverb
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Our boss, who had been whisked off the House floor to a secure location, was only intermittently reachable.—
Zach Fisch,
The Atlantic,
6 Jan. 2026
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For drivers, eastbound Lake Street between State and Wabash will be intermittently closed during non-peak hours.—
Sara Tenenbaum,
CBS News,
2 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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But unlike most commuters, Mamdani’s trip was documented by a photo and video crew, and periodically interrupted by neighbors wishing him luck.—
Jake Offenhartz,
Fortune,
3 Jan. 2026
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Investors also periodically rotated out of tech and into value areas of the market due to worries of inflated valuations in the AI trade.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
3 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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Tracy leads a tailgate team at Beck’s games On game days, Tracy is rarely cheering alone.—
Nasha Smith,
PEOPLE,
9 Jan. 2026
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Inside the Speedster, drivers will find elements rarely seen in EVs, including a stick-style shifter.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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Spider mites can be an occasional problem in hot, dry weather, though damage seldom requires treatment.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
6 Nov. 2025
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From a practical perspective, these maple trees are compact (usually under 25 feet tall) and grow slowly, seldom overtaking a space.—
Luke Miller,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Off and on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/off%20and%20on. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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