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

Prior to her connection with Pillsbury, Johnson was in an on-and-off relationship with Martin, Coldplay’s frontman. — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026 Hayden Panettiere’s on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson is speaking out amid the ongoing investigation into the late Nashville actress’s tragic death at 36. — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 17 Sep. 2026 Shot on-and-off by the filmmaker over the course of three years, the documentary is receiving its world premiere as the opening night film of the Oldenburg International Film Festival. — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026 Detailed in the script, Carrie crushes the spewing water pipes with her mind, but the folks manning the on-and-off switches aren’t yet in sync. — Entertainment Weekly, 15 Sep. 2026 Justin and Hailey officially wed in September 2018 at a New York City courthouse after years of on-and-off dating. — Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 13 Sep. 2026 But after eight years of on-and-off trade and technology wars with the United States, China’s economic fundamentals have remained stable. — Da Wei, Foreign Affairs, 7 Sep. 2026 Hayden Panettiere's estranged mother, Lesley Vogel, is disputing the account of her daughter's final hours given by Panettiere's on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson. — Paris Close, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026 Continue reading … FIRST WORDS — Hayden Panettiere's on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson breaks his silence. — FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for on and off

Adverb

Turn your home’s lights off and on, and connect it to your home’s security cameras to keep a watchful eye.

— Katrina Cossey, Parents, 19 Sep. 2026
Ohtani was seen shaking out his arm between swings and hobbling off and on for months.

— Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of off and on

Adjective

Menopausal women spent years unable to get relief from the potentially deadly but often preventable effects of recurrent urinary tract infections, due to the FDA’s black box warning for estrogen products.

— Theara Coleman, TheWeek, 24 Sep. 2026
But the findings build upon decades of research showing that vaginal estrogen can reduce recurrent UTIs in menopausal women.

— Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of recurrent

Adverb

Hogan added that the market could experience more trading days like this sporadically over the coming months if sentiment remains subdued amid tensions in the Middle East.

— Sean Conlon, CNBC, 21 Sep. 2026
Bators died in 1990, but the group sporadically reunited and toured in the decades after.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of sporadically

Adjective

How Recurring Revenue Is The Pump There’s only one kind of funding that reliably shows up in year seven—recurring, unrestricted revenue.

— Sarah Evans, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Excluding non-recurring events, the magnitude of the average S & P 500 earnings surprise for the quarter is still about 11%.

— Sarah Min, CNBC, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of recurring

Adverb

Encore revisits that album’s musical ingredients and amorous but intermittently cantankerous spirit.

— Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026
Prison staff intermittently shut off Maier's water access to prevent him from flooding his cell, but didn't properly document when the water was turned on or off, the Dodge County Sheriff's Office investigation found.

— Kelli Arseneau, jsonline.com, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of intermittently

Adjective

Research from the Baylor University study shows that mid-morning breaks are the most effective at replenishing energy, concentration, and motivation, followed by periodic ones as needed.

— Cheryl Fenton, Flow Space, 23 Sep. 2026
El Niño breaks into record territory El Niño is a periodic warming of the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean along the equator that influences weather patterns around the globe.

— Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of periodic

Adjective

His speech came as intermittent attacks continued in the Strait of Hormuz off Iran's coast, where commercial shipping remained below prewar levels.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Sep. 2026
Clare, who suffered intermittent memory loss, regained her full memory roughly two days later.

— Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of intermittent

Browse Nearby Words

on all hands

on and off

on-and-off

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“On and off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/on%20and%20off. Accessed 30 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of on and off

adverb

adjective

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