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
Gadiano worked in the fields off and on from childhood into middle age.
—
Kerry Klein, NPR, 31 Mar. 2026
That action could be done on a seasonal basis, or off and on during the summer.
—Chuck Fieldman, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
McCartney has been open about having been in the studio off and on for years, largely with producer Andrew Watt, and about having plans to finally release a new album in 2026.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 17 Mar. 2026
The Mackinac Bridge was closed and opened off and on in recent days because of the weather.
—Paula Wethington, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for off and on
Kerry Klein, NPR, 31 Mar. 2026
That action could be done on a seasonal basis, or off and on during the summer.
—Chuck Fieldman, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
McCartney has been open about having been in the studio off and on for years, largely with producer Andrew Watt, and about having plans to finally release a new album in 2026.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 17 Mar. 2026
The Mackinac Bridge was closed and opened off and on in recent days because of the weather.
—Paula Wethington, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for off and on
Recent Examples of Synonyms for off and on
Adverb
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The country has sporadically attacked ships in and around the Persian Gulf and may have laid mines to deter shipowners and crews from attempting to traverse the narrow waterway.—
Angela Cullen,
Fortune,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Those soft stripes are seen woven sporadically throughout the fluffy look, like in her tendrils and along the crown.—
Marci Robin,
Allure,
8 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
A student seated next to me laughed intermittently during Vance’s remarks.—
Isaac Stanley-Becker,
The Atlantic,
10 Apr. 2026
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Yet Levinson only feints intermittently in that direction, and his greater failure is how thin these characters feel.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
8 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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Federal law requires states to periodically remove ineligible voters, but if someone dies or moves away, there’s no requirement to notify the state.—
Robert McCoppin,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
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Elements of the regimen have been periodically tweaked to fit the bureau’s needs, including over the past year under the leadership of FBI Director Kash Patel.—
Eric Tucker,
Fortune,
19 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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The women rarely have close friends, only rival hostesses and often down-market sisters.—
Libby Gelman-Waxner,
New Yorker,
21 Apr. 2026
-
So the overshadowed former play has only been rarely seen.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Kids are welcome here but are seldom seen.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Apr. 2026
-
According to Bilmes, war spending calculations seldom touch on long-term expenditures, particularly the cost of disability benefits to veterans.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Off and on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/off%20and%20on. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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