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
Over the course of his nearly four seasons in Minnesota, Correa was a leader for the Twins, both off and on the field.
—
Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 31 July 2025
The siblings have wrangled in court off and on through the years.
—Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 31 July 2025
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
Although the area has been mined off and on for decades, Resolution wants to use a new method, which will obliterate Oak Flat and its sacred status.
—Debra Utacia Krol, AZCentral.com, 13 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for off and on
Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 31 July 2025
The siblings have wrangled in court off and on through the years.
—Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 31 July 2025
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
Although the area has been mined off and on for decades, Resolution wants to use a new method, which will obliterate Oak Flat and its sacred status.
—Debra Utacia Krol, AZCentral.com, 13 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for off and on
Recent Examples of Synonyms for off and on
Adverb
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Lay the broken pieces in a pattern or sporadically for a mosaic look.—
Claire Hoppe Norgaard,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 Aug. 2025
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The narrative sporadically darts into his consciousness, reflecting a conflicted conscience and a degree of interiority that make the book revolutionary.—
Lauren Groff,
The Atlantic,
20 Aug. 2025
Adverb
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Mating season is February to April, and females will lay one or two eggs per day intermittently during that period.—
Ashley Mackin Solomon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Sep. 2025
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For some, the pause is only temporary because their Starlink dish is used intermittently for RV or camping trips.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
5 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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In 1983 magma built enough pressure that Kilauea opened a vent at a lower elevation and started continuously leaking lava from there rather than periodically shooting out from a higher elevation.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
2 Sep. 2025
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Sting went on to become a successful solo act, reconnecting periodically with his Police bandmates to play shows and delight their still-loyal fans, most notably in 2007 for a reunion tour.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
29 Aug. 2025
Adverb
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Job openings ticked down in July to levels rarely seen since the Covid-19 pandemic, bolstering fears of cooling in the labor market.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
4 Sep. 2025
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Consumers of the content rarely face legal consequences.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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Because exits in sports seldom are graceful.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 Sep. 2025
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Big Tech Vies With Utilities For Workers Another pressure — seldom mentioned but raised by Naylor — is the impact of the cash-rich tech behemoths on the skilled job market.—
Llewellyn King,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Off and on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/off%20and%20on. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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