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

If anything, the auto-playing dialogue functions a bit too fast, occasionally cutting off lines before the excellent voice talent can finish their deliveries. — Gabriel Zamora, PC Magazine, 29 Aug. 2026

This horror movie mostly just smelled of fake fog from a community theater production and occasionally you were startled by random bursts of air, once again pulling you from the events on screen. — Meredith G. White, AZCentral.com, 28 Aug. 2026

As nonpartisan members of the congressional staff, most parliamentarians serve across administrations and Congresses, but occasionally they have been replaced in the Senate when a new party takes over the leadership. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026

Shows like Blues Clues, Space Ghost Coast to Coast, and Lizzie McGuire regularly mixed the mediums, while others like South Park, Family Guy, and SpongeBob SquarePants would occasionally toss in live-action elements as a goof. — James Grebey, Vulture, 28 Aug. 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