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
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
Derek Lawrence, Entertainment Weekly, 5 June 2026
The pair, who welcomed a son together in November 2025, appear to have had an on-and-off relationship in recent months.
—Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026
The weather service said on-and-off rounds of showers and storms are expected through the weekend.
—Kansas City Star, 2 June 2026
Trump returned Friday to his on-and-off demand for the removal of the cache as part of a deal.
—Arkansas Online, 30 May 2026
Upgraded features include enhanced on-and-off loading, including the ability for families to roll strollers directly into the glass cabin with ease.
—Carly Caramanna, Travel + Leisure, 29 May 2026
Trump returned Friday to his on-and-off demand for the removal of the cache as part of a deal.
—Michelle L. Price, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2026
Early voting in the June 9 primary had started Tuesday morning and was one factor some Republican senators cited for opposing the redistricting, which had dragged on through weeks of on-and-off debate.
—Gavin Jackson, NPR, 26 May 2026
The holiday weekend, however, is looking unsettled at the moment, with on-and-off rain and below normal temperatures.
—Justin Lewis, CBS News, 20 May 2026
Adjective
Wayans then returned as Coach in season 3, appearing on-and-off for the rest of the seven-season run.
—Derek Lawrence, Entertainment Weekly, 5 June 2026
The pair, who welcomed a son together in November 2025, appear to have had an on-and-off relationship in recent months.
—Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 3 June 2026
The weather service said on-and-off rounds of showers and storms are expected through the weekend.
—Kansas City Star, 2 June 2026
Trump returned Friday to his on-and-off demand for the removal of the cache as part of a deal.
—Arkansas Online, 30 May 2026
Upgraded features include enhanced on-and-off loading, including the ability for families to roll strollers directly into the glass cabin with ease.
—Carly Caramanna, Travel + Leisure, 29 May 2026
Trump returned Friday to his on-and-off demand for the removal of the cache as part of a deal.
—Michelle L. Price, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2026
Early voting in the June 9 primary had started Tuesday morning and was one factor some Republican senators cited for opposing the redistricting, which had dragged on through weeks of on-and-off debate.
—Gavin Jackson, NPR, 26 May 2026
The holiday weekend, however, is looking unsettled at the moment, with on-and-off rain and below normal temperatures.
—Justin Lewis, CBS News, 20 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for on and off
Adverb
-
Between and among cover projects such as Holy Ghost Building and Gimme a Kickstart, Michael Roe, Mark Harmon, and Bruce Spencer worked on it off and on for 13 years.—
SPIN Staff,
SPIN,
1 June 2026
-
Injuries limited him to 36 games last season and various ailments have dogged him off and on the past few years.—
Greg Cote
May 25,
Miami Herald,
25 May 2026
Adjective
-
More sustained multi-year funding streams are needed to mitigate and respond to recurrent outbreaks.—
Maryanne Murray Buechner,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
-
The idea originated with Carolyn Miller’s 1984 essay Genre as Social Action, which describes genres as typified rhetorical actions based on recurrent situations.—
Tham Thi Nguyen,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
26 May 2026
Adverb
-
The New Jersey native has worked sporadically, including a role in Lifetime’s A Country Christmas Harmony (2022), since easing back into show business.—
JP Mangalindan,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 June 2026
-
Trendy items and playful color combos are fun sporadically, but the beauty mogul reminded us that sometimes simple is best.—
Rachel Trujillo,
PEOPLE,
9 June 2026
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
Adverb
-
Geraniums bloom in the spring and will rebloom intermittently throughout the summer and fall.—
Helena Madden,
Martha Stewart,
6 June 2026
-
The show’s jingles about the virus also play intermittently throughout the day and residents are able to call in with questions.—
Ope Adetayo,
Chicago Tribune,
5 June 2026
Adjective
-
Many organizations still treat learning as a periodic activity delivered through courses, workshops, or training events.—
Michael Edmondson,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
-
The peninsula has had periodic fuel shortages from Ukrainian strikes before, but this crisis is the worst since its 2014 annexation.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 June 2026
Adverb
-
Don’t forget to replace the supplies in your emergency kit periodically.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
8 June 2026
-
During summers in small towns across America, air sirens will periodically ring out to signal all manner of things.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
6 June 2026
Adjective
-
Some customers in San Juan began reporting intermittent service more than a year ago, with the governor acknowledging the infrastructure has lacked investment and maintenance for decades.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 June 2026
-
Nevertheless, intermittent thunder and lightning didn't stop the crowd from gathering around the building to watch the spectacle, not unlike a big crowd before a typical concert venue.—
Gabe Hauari,
USA Today,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“On and off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/on%20and%20off. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
