OFF AND ON Synonyms: 41 Similar and Opposite Words

off and on

adverb

Definition of off and on

as in on and off

not constantly or steadily over a period of time They've been dating off and on for almost a year.

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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 off and on Rain showers will continue off and on Monday, with the rain beginning to taper Monday night. — Sarah Wroblewski, CBS News, 27 Sep. 2026 Turn your home’s lights off and on, and connect it to your home’s security cameras to keep a watchful eye. — Katrina Cossey, Parents, 19 Sep. 2026 Ohtani was seen shaking out his arm between swings and hobbling off and on for months. — Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026 Repeatedly taking your shoes off and on is time-consuming and exasperating. — R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for off and on

Recent Examples of Synonyms for off and on

Adverb

Officers used tear gas as tensions flared sporadically in the neighborhood, with small groups of people trying to set bicycles and trash bins on fire.

— SYLVIE CORBET, Arkansas Online, 19 Oct. 2026
Tyson Familiar and visually uninspired, yet still sporadically captivating.

— Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of sporadically

Adverb

In 2024, Tony Hout joined the vaccine trial at MD Anderson after seeking care for a spot on his ear that had been bleeding intermittently and wouldn’t fully heal.

— ABC News, ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026
The administration has also intermittently pressured Ukraine to cave in its war of survival against Russian aggression.

— Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of intermittently

Adverb

Inspect the cords on appliances such as toasters, blenders, coffee makers, and electric kettles periodically.

— Lynn Andriani, Martha Stewart, 29 Oct. 2026
Antalya and other locations along the Mediterranean coast periodically experience tornadoes, although deadly incidents are rare.

— ABC News, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of periodically

Adverb

These sounds are strange bedfellows, but the delirium rarely feels indulgent or trivial.

— Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 26 Oct. 2026
Hitler rarely used the Kehlsteinhaus — unlike the Berghof residence, also in the Berchtesgaden area, the ruins of which were demolished in 1952.

— Geir Moulson, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of rarely

Adverb

Growing up in West Little River, Black Yacht Day cofounder Shakyra Chrysostome seldom went to the beach.

— Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2026
But defense lawyer Wada said they were seldom used when the detention was shorter than two weeks, leaving minors to face similar conditions to their adult counterparts.

— Hanako Montgomery, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of seldom

Browse Nearby Words

offal

off and on

off base

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Style

“Off and on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/off%20and%20on. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of off and on

adverb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

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