ON AND OFF Synonyms: 72 Similar and Opposite Words

on and off 1 of 2

adverb

Definition of on and off

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

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

on-and-off

2 of 2

adjective

as in recurrent

occurring or appearing at intervals an on-and-off friendship over the years

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 on and off

Adjective

Since the 1920s, populations have shown signs of decline on-and-off. — Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026 Ideal for park walks, running errands, and sightseeing explorations, these slip-on sneakers have elastic laces and heel pull tabs for effortless on-and-off wear. — Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 11 July 2026 Styles and Swift dated on-and-off until 2013, when their breakup inspired several songs on Swift’s 1989. — Kathleen Perricone, Entertainment Weekly, 8 July 2026 An economist at advisory firm Oxford Economics said the ceasefire probably would continue to be on-and-off and Washington and Tehran could still deescalate the latest tensions instead of returning to war. — ABC News, 8 July 2026 Despite the on-and-off rain and the muggy weather, the mood in the city was jovial. — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 4 July 2026 What’s more, the sneakers are machine washable for easy cleaning and have a pull tab for effortless on-and-off. — Destinee Scott, Travel + Leisure, 3 July 2026 Officials said Friday that a group of 50 volunteers had joined the effort to look for Kinney along the banks of the lake, adding that on-and-off rain hindered the search, according to WSAZ. — James Cirrone, FOXNews.com, 27 June 2026 An on-and-off again rivalry during the primary The two men shared a similar message during the primary, slamming Democrats for mismanaging the state and calling for tax cuts and regulatory rollbacks. — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 26 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for on and off

Adverb

After all, this hip has bothered him off and on since the 2021 season.

— Dan Hayes, New York Times, 7 July 2026
Pharis continued to get minor rashes, off and on, for the next four years.

— Charles Trepany, USA Today, 2 July 2026

Definition of off and on

Adjective

Instead, forecasters are monitoring a recurrent coronal hole, an area where the sun’s magnetic field opens into space and allows faster solar wind to escape.

— Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
Among the children with recurrent brain tumors who participated in the study, three experienced particularly positive outcomes.

— Sam Macdonald, Scientific American, 14 July 2026

Definition of recurrent

Adverb

The audience only sporadically showed a notable reaction, with long periods of near-silence prevailing.

— Ted Johnson, Deadline, 24 July 2026
Anti-doping officials have confirmed to The Athletic, however, that nighttime tests do take place sporadically in a number of sports.

— Chris Marshall-Bell, New York Times, 22 July 2026

Definition of sporadically

Adjective

The Bell Street Bridge encampment was prioritized for closure as part of Downtown Rising – the first phase of Atlanta Rising, a multi-year campaign launched in 2025 to end unsheltered homelessness citywide and make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring.

— Emily McLeod, CBS News, 7 Mar. 2026
This was and is a non-recurring, cyclical business totally dependent on transaction volumes, which fluctuate with economic cycles and interest rates.

— Josh Brown,Sean Russo, CNBC, 15 Jan. 2026

Definition of recurring

Adverb

Form a mini book club together, stopping intermittently to pulse check your feelings about the same book.

— Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 22 July 2026
Munda, 19, has intermittently trained with the seniors over the past couple of seasons and the energetic midfielder is primed for a loan move in the new season.

— Chris Waugh, New York Times, 17 July 2026

Definition of intermittently

Adjective

Renewal Requires Timing, Limits And Recovery On the mountain, Mee-Add drew our attention to vegetation shaped by wind and to the role of periodic fire in the fynbos ecosystem.

— Gerald J. Leonard, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
El Nino is a periodic warming of water in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean that can affect global weather patterns for months, according to Paul Pastelok, senior meteorologist with AccuWeather.

— Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 20 July 2026

Definition of periodic

Adverb

Everyone is entitled to a free credit report periodically, and reviewing it for mistakes—and disputing anything inaccurate—can make a meaningful difference in your score.

— AllBusiness, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
Muslim residents have long complained of being treated like second-class citizens in Thailand, and separatist movements have been periodically active for decades.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 2026

Definition of periodically

Adjective

Repairs to the deck of the Sutter Slough Bridge on South River Road and Sutter Slough Bridge Road will cause intermittent lane closures in both directions next week, according to a Yolo County news release.

— Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 23 July 2026
But aren’t those intermittent slip-ups better than more of the same?

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 23 July 2026

Definition of intermittent

Browse Nearby Words

on all hands

on and off

on-and-off

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Cite this Entry

Style

“On and off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/on%20and%20off. Accessed 27 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of on and off

adverb

adjective

Example Sentences

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