How to Use sporadic in a Sentence

sporadic

adjective
  • Sporadic cases of the disease were reported.
  • The work is sporadic and the field is tough to break into.
    Lynn Q. Yu, Los Angeles Magazine, 9 Apr. 2018
  • The mall was the target of sporadic protests over several months in the wake of the shooting.
    Fox News, 21 Nov. 2020
  • In the years since, the volcano has triggered sporadic swarms of tiny quakes.
    Christopher Intagliata, Scientific American, 20 Dec. 2021
  • Over the next few weeks, the rainy season set in, and our swims grew more sporadic.
    Allison Keeley, The New Yorker, 12 July 2021
  • Barnwell heard the sporadic shots and then kids running.
    Maggie Prosser, Dallas News, 7 May 2023
  • There were sporadic protests across the nation, and these threatened to grow in size.
    Keith Gessen, The New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2022
  • But the work was sporadic and her physical agony was acute.
    Fortesa Latifi, Glamour, 1 Nov. 2023
  • Much of the area could pick up an inch of rain, which should become lighter and more sporadic overnight.
    David Streit, Washington Post, 29 Sep. 2022
  • The moonlight cast shadows along the frozen creek, whose bank held a sporadic growth of birch trees.
    Steve Meyer, Anchorage Daily News, 9 Nov. 2019
  • Heat was sporadic, with a balky boiler that belched black smoke.
    New York Times, 20 Jan. 2022
  • Winds will likely be light with a chance of sporadic showers.
    Jessica Villagomez, chicagotribune.com, 26 Nov. 2019
  • And with each sporadic update came new questions and hot takes.
    Bailey Loosemore, The Courier-Journal, 16 Oct. 2017
  • And if there are some sporadic issues, they'll be dealt with.
    CBS News, 5 Sep. 2019
  • Young’s on-court role has been sporadic as the Spurs work to find a taker.
    Jeff McDonald, San Antonio Express-News, 17 Dec. 2021
  • Since then, the two countries have been mired in a sporadic shooting war which has killed dozens more.
    Kevin Collier, NBC News, 25 May 2023
  • Weeks before the referendum, sporadic signs for and against it were placed in yards across the city.
    Meredith Colias, Post-Tribune, 4 Nov. 2017
  • Just like feeders here, the video-feed action is sporadic.
    Jim Williams, Star Tribune, 8 Dec. 2020
  • While cases of the flu are currently sporadic, this could change.
    Sujata Srinivasan, courant.com, 28 Dec. 2020
  • Anya had lived apart from her mother and was in only sporadic contact with her before the war.
    Emma Bubola, BostonGlobe.com, 22 Oct. 2022
  • Power has been out around the island, but there is sporadic cell phone service.
    Maureen C. Gilmer, Indianapolis Star, 14 Sep. 2017
  • This is prime habitat for the plant, and where re-wilding has had sporadic success.
    Ali Martin, The Christian Science Monitor, 16 Aug. 2023
  • Add to that the fact that outbreaks are sporadic, and are often stopped after a few dozen cases.
    Helen Branswell, STAT, 11 June 2018
  • States are moving to re-open, even as testing for the virus is sporadic and lacking in scope.
    Paul Daugherty, Cincinnati.com, 19 Apr. 2020
  • Poe said the ability to track sporadic cases will be helpful.
    The Malheur Enterprise, oregonlive, 3 Sep. 2020
  • At the very least, growth will be glacial in pace and blooming very sporadic or lacking entirely.
    Miri Talabac, baltimoresun.com, 27 Jan. 2022
  • This could be a sign that trends of early blooms followed by sporadic spring frosts could continue.
    Evan Lasseter, ajc, 10 July 2023
  • These, however, can be sporadic and can close at any time.
    Todd Martensgame Critic, Los Angeles Times, 29 Dec. 2022
  • Rylee broke his phone in Jordan, so contact with home was sporadic.
    Megan Myers, Fox News, 28 Aug. 2022
  • Police already had been dealing with sporadic protests, and even threats.
    Jeremy Gorner, chicagotribune.com, 19 Feb. 2021

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sporadic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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