as in off and on
not constantly or steadily over a period of time
It's been raining on and off all afternoon.
Related Words
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Dissimilar Words
as in recurrent
occurring or appearing at intervals
an on-and-off friendship over the years
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of on and off
Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2025
The on-and-off couple welcomed their first child, Saga Blade Fox-Baker, in March.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
Tran dated Chris Brown in an on-and-off relationship from 2011 to 2015, and was previously linked to Rob Kardashian.
—Angel Saunders, People.com, 29 Aug. 2025
The experience reminded me of a part from Happy Together, a Wong Kar-wai movie about a deeply fraught, on-and-off romantic relationship between two men.
—Tao Lin, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
That lane was impacted not just by the on-and-off tariffs starting in April, but also the closure of the de minimis trade exemption for Chinese goods on May 2.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 14 Aug. 2025
Rocky’s creative ambitions left a lasting impression on his younger castmate Elijah Wright, son of Jeffrey Wright, both on-and-off the call sheet.
—Antonio Ferme, Variety, 13 Aug. 2025
In the Arrowverse, Haynes plays Roy Harper (Arsenal), a vigilante who is inspired by Oliver Queen and is involved in an on-and-off relationship with Thea Queen.
—Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 12 Aug. 2025
Adjective
The couple’s relationship has been documented on the final season of Bling Empire, and the pair have been honest about their on-and-off again relationship.
—Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 24 Sep. 2025
The on-and-off couple welcomed their first child, Saga Blade Fox-Baker, in March.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
Tran dated Chris Brown in an on-and-off relationship from 2011 to 2015, and was previously linked to Rob Kardashian.
—Angel Saunders, People.com, 29 Aug. 2025
The experience reminded me of a part from Happy Together, a Wong Kar-wai movie about a deeply fraught, on-and-off romantic relationship between two men.
—Tao Lin, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
That lane was impacted not just by the on-and-off tariffs starting in April, but also the closure of the de minimis trade exemption for Chinese goods on May 2.
—Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 14 Aug. 2025
Rocky’s creative ambitions left a lasting impression on his younger castmate Elijah Wright, son of Jeffrey Wright, both on-and-off the call sheet.
—Antonio Ferme, Variety, 13 Aug. 2025
In the Arrowverse, Haynes plays Roy Harper (Arsenal), a vigilante who is inspired by Oliver Queen and is involved in an on-and-off relationship with Thea Queen.
—Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 12 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for on and off
Adverb
-
The novel ended up taking me 10 years off and on, doing projects in between.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
21 Sep. 2025
-
That same advisory also famously warns users to switch their phones off and on again each week to help protect against phishing attacks and zero-day exploits.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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One reason for this recurrent rhetoric is that few Americans today see themselves as opposed to the maximization of either alternatives from which to make selections or occasions to do so.—
Sophia Rosenfeld
September 26,
Literary Hub,
26 Sep. 2025
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Alas, the one thing Europe is still lacking in comparison to its North American counterpart is scale, with European projects not yet landing major franchises, globally relevant IP and recurrent mega-budget productions.—
Rafa Sales Ross,
Variety,
26 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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The Ravens have won six the last eight straight up and are 5-3 against the number in a series that is played sporadically.—
Jack Magruder,
Forbes.com,
20 Sep. 2025
-
The importance of understanding lunar surface movement This research shows that the moon is not geologically dead but sporadically active, with multiple processes, including seismic activity, impacts, and thermal stress, causing surface changes.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Audiences can also expect a new teacher, Luke Tennie’s Dominic, and potentially more recurring and guest characters.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
6 Sep. 2025
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This should further increase the bank's base of more recurring revenue streams.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
27 Aug. 2025
Adverb
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In it, the scientists postulated an increased risk of death in people who fasted intermittently.—
Frederik Jötten,
Scientific American,
12 Sep. 2025
-
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
Adjective
-
Malo has been receiving treatment for colon cancer since June 2024 but has remarkably managed to keep touring with periodic breaks for treatment.—
Melinda Newman,
Billboard,
24 Sep. 2025
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The woman was on her way to meet her best friend on one of their periodic trips.—
Elizabeth Maline,
NBC news,
21 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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Check your items periodically, every few months, for signs of pest activity.—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
24 Sep. 2025
-
His right hand lashes out periodically.—
Matthew Shen Goodman,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Advertisement There have also been intermittent drug shortages that have affected doctors’ ability to quickly treat pregnant people with syphilis, Finley says.—
Chantelle Lee,
Time,
26 Sep. 2025
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For a large utility like TVA, the exploration of fusion is part of a long-term strategy to identify reliable, on-demand, and non-emitting power sources that can operate alongside intermittent renewables like solar and wind.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“On and off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/on%20and%20off. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
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