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.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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 off and on
Flores yelled off and on for about 20 seconds before making his way slowly to first base, accompanied by Padres catcher Elias Díaz and umpire Ryan Wills.
—
Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 June 2025
Combs’ long time, off and on relationship with model and actress Kim Porter resulted in the birth of son Christian in 1998.
—Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 20 May 2025
Clair has tutored math and science off and on since high school and has taught GED-seeking students through Neighborhood House in the Wellstone Center in St. Paul.
—Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 12 May 2025
The two Martens spent roughly four years behind bars, off and on, before they were released from custody in June 2024, per Raleigh’s The News & Observer.
—Melissa Locker, Time, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for off and on
Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 June 2025
Combs’ long time, off and on relationship with model and actress Kim Porter resulted in the birth of son Christian in 1998.
—Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 20 May 2025
Clair has tutored math and science off and on since high school and has taught GED-seeking students through Neighborhood House in the Wellstone Center in St. Paul.
—Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 12 May 2025
The two Martens spent roughly four years behind bars, off and on, before they were released from custody in June 2024, per Raleigh’s The News & Observer.
—Melissa Locker, Time, 9 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for off and on
Recent Examples of Synonyms for off and on
Adverb
-
Bass enacted the curfew last week after five days of chaotic and sporadically violent protests that came in response to President Trump’s immigration crackdown in Southern California.—
Noah Goldberg,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2025
-
Thereafter more prominent on the police blotter and the court docket than the record charts, Stone sporadically re-emerged after the turn of the millennium for a bizarre public appearance or chaotic concert date.—
Chris Morris,
Variety,
9 June 2025
Adverb
-
Well, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been periodically warning for more than a decade that Iran was just weeks away from creating a nuclear weapon, is beating that war drum once again.—
Chris Brennan,
USA Today,
20 June 2025
-
Since his return to Cuba, González’s life has been periodically covered by the state-run media, often to highlight Fidel Castro’s legacy.—
Maykel Gonzalez,
Miami Herald,
20 June 2025
Adverb
-
Rountree is torque and timing, a sniper who doesn’t throw often but rarely misses.—
Jenny Catlin,
New York Times,
21 June 2025
-
After a few years of decreasing infection, the pests rarely trouble citrus trees.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 June 2025
Adverb
-
Cena, despite his attempts at wackadoo eccentricity, seldom has enough energy to create meaningful contrast with Elba’s straight man (in fact, Elba is often the funnier and sharper of the two), and most dialogue scenes end up flat and repetitive.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
IndieWire,
27 June 2025
-
At the same time, centers are the most likely to be played off the floor, and the Thunder seldom had both Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein in the game at the same time in their NBA Finals win over Indiana.—
Jack Magruder,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Off and on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/off%20and%20on. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share