How to Use occasionally in a Sentence

occasionally

adverb
  • Occasionally, things don't go as planned.
  • Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.
  • This worked fine most of the time, but might occasionally hit a snag.
    Literary Hub, 25 June 2026
  • Who knows, but a bright light does occasionally shine at the far end.
    Greg Evans, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2025
  • Make sure to open up the bag occasionally to check the ripeness.
    Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 11 June 2026
  • All good teams occasionally score against the flow of the game.
    Joseph Wilson, ajc, 5 May 2022
  • My dream guy occasionally nudged me to pet him or offer a treat.
    Jennifer Wolfgram, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2026
  • Cook on low for at least ten hours, occasionally skimming off fat and foam from top.
    Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 3 Aug. 2023
  • Loomer occasionally shows him drafts of her posts.
    Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025
  • Spray at sunset to avoid leaf burn, and shake the sprayer occasionally.
    Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 11 June 2026
  • This type of nasal spray should not be used for more than three days in a row, and even then only occasionally.
    Mansi Kanuga Md, Anchorage Daily News, 14 May 2023
  • Of course, Manilow couldn’t help but show his age occasionally.
    Matthew J. Palm, Orlando Sentinel, 18 Jan. 2023
  • And occasionally the service can be s-l-o-w at some of the restaurants.
    Debbi Kickham, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2021
  • Musk has occasionally used that system in ways that have helped one side of the war or the other.
    Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 27 Feb. 2026
  • Eclipses come in pairs and occasionally trios.
    Lily Hautau, CNN Money, 16 Feb. 2026
  • That was back when the Stars were good and the Ducks still occasionally won games.
    Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
  • Just keep putting one foot in front of the other, avoid potholes, and look down occasionally.
    Neil Senturia, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Mar. 2024
  • Wipe down your plant's leaves occasionally with a damp cloth to get rid of dust and debris and deter pests.
    Lauren David, Southern Living, 15 June 2026
  • The city is known for its spring break parties, which have occasionally turned rowdy.
    Arizona Republic, The Arizona Republic, 29 Mar. 2024
  • Here are some of her best quotes on matters of the (occasionally broken) heart.
    Gillian Telling, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
  • So, yes, the brothers do occasionally take a life.
    Eliana Dockterman, Time, 16 Oct. 2025
  • The two sides have occasionally traded fire since then.
    Munir Ahmed, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2026
  • And the lyrics are occasionally kind of funny, which offsets the schmaltz.
    Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 3 Feb. 2023
  • And the lyrics are occasionally kind of funny, which offsets the schmaltz.
    Ed Masley, USA TODAY, 11 Feb. 2023
  • And occasionally from on stage, where people are seated in the round.
    Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Mar. 2026
  • Horn sharks occasionally will enter tide pools to eat the creatures there.
    Ashley MacKin Solomon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Sep. 2025
  • It has occasionally been used in court but is rarely successful.
    Cameron Knight, Cincinnati Enquirer, 17 June 2026
  • Chickens cross the paths in the morning, occasionally holding things up in a way no one seems to mind.
    Jordi Lippe-McGraw, Robb Report, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Some save up and treat themselves occasionally, or shop on reseller sites.
    Literary Hub, 23 Feb. 2026
  • Texas sees more of these in the summer, but a few occasionally can appear in spring and even winter.
    Roberto Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 21 Mar. 2026

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'occasionally.' 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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