occasionally

adverb

oc·​ca·​sion·​al·​ly ə-ˈkā-zh(ə-)nə-lē 

: on occasion : now and then

dines out occasionally

We occasionally see deer in the field.

Synonyms of occasionally

• sometimes

Examples of occasionally in a Sentence

Occasionally, things don't go as planned.

Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.

Recent Examples on the Web

The characters in the trailer are all on separate side quests, coming together occasionally for complete chaos. —Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 30 Mar. 2026

While ellipticals occasionally result, the most common merger outcome is another disk galaxy. —Big Think, 30 Mar. 2026

The second lady spoke about her podcast ahead of its premiere on Friday, as well as occasionally having disagreements with her husband. —Asher Notheis, The Washington Examiner, 30 Mar. 2026

What to Know The photo was posted by the People’s Unity Project, which said the gathering took place at Deception Island, an active volcanic island off the Antarctic Peninsula that is occasionally visited by researchers and expedition groups. —Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English occasionaly "on a particular occasion, sometimes," from occasyonal occasional + -ly -ly entry 2

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing occasionally

• very occasionally

Kids Definition

occasionally

adverb

oc·​ca·​sion·​al·​ly -ē 

: from time to time

occasionally goes to the movies