fitful

adjective

fit·​ful ˈfit-fəl 

1

obsolete : characterized by fits or paroxysms

2

: having an erratic or intermittent character : irregular

fitfully

ˈfit-fə-lē 

adverb

fitfulness noun

Synonyms

• aperiodic
• casual
• catchy
• choppy
• discontinuous
• episodic
• episodical
• erratic
• intermittent
• irregular
• occasional
• spasmodic
• spastic
• sporadic
• spotty
• unsteady

Choose the Right Synonym for fitful

fitful, spasmodic, convulsive mean lacking steadiness or regularity in movement.

fitful implies intermittence, a succession of starts and stops or risings and fallings.

fitful sleep

spasmodic adds to fitful the implication of rapid or violent activity alternating with inactivity.

spasmodic growth

convulsive suggests the breaking of regularity or quiet by uncontrolled movement.

convulsive shocks

Examples of fitful in a Sentence

He had a few fitful hours of sleep.

Several fitful attempts at negotiation have failed.

Recent Examples on the Web

Walkers never have to lug their own suitcases or spend a fitful night on the cold, hard ground. —Shoshi Parks, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Oct. 2024

Nothing illustrates the point better than the Trump administration’s fitful, scattered, and incremental response to the COVID-19 crisis. —James B. Steinberg, Foreign Affairs, 9 June 2020

What sets whooping cough apart from other respiratory illness are the prolonged and fitful coughs, which last at least three weeks and can persist for many months, Nolt said. —Emma Bowman, NPR, 21 Sep. 2024

The pacing is fitful: only toward the end of the first act does the central conflict emerge. —Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

fit entry 4 + -ful entry 1

First Known Use

1592, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

fitful

adjective

fit·​ful ˈfit-fəl 

: not regular : restless

fitful sleep

fitfully

-fə-lē 

adverb

fitfulness noun