intermittent
adjective
in·ter·mit·tent
ˌin-tər-ˈmi-tᵊnt 
1
: coming and going at intervals : not continuous
intermittent rain
2
of a stream or body of water
: appearing and disappearing seasonally : sometimes dry
intermittently
adverb
raining intermittently
Examples of intermittent in a Sentence
In the intermittent light he could make out the shape of a solitary oak tree, spreading great arms from its short tremendous trunk.
—
Susan Cooper, The Dark is Rising, (1973) 1999
Decades of intermittent but recurring controversies with imperial authorities, and the lodestar of the glorious Revolution, disposed Americans to continue to believe that representation existed, first and foremost, to protect the rights of their communities against the abuse of executive power.
—Jack N. Rakove, Original Meanings, 1996
Bronchodilators continue to play an important role in asthma treatment, especially for people who have relatively mild or intermittent attacks.
—Stephen Hoffmann, Harvard Medical School Health Letter, June 1991
The patient was having intermittent pains in his side.
The forecast is for intermittent rain.
Susan Cooper, The Dark is Rising, (1973) 1999
Decades of intermittent but recurring controversies with imperial authorities, and the lodestar of the glorious Revolution, disposed Americans to continue to believe that representation existed, first and foremost, to protect the rights of their communities against the abuse of executive power.
—Jack N. Rakove, Original Meanings, 1996
Bronchodilators continue to play an important role in asthma treatment, especially for people who have relatively mild or intermittent attacks.
—Stephen Hoffmann, Harvard Medical School Health Letter, June 1991
The patient was having intermittent pains in his side.
The forecast is for intermittent rain.
Recent Examples on the Web
Of course, Diana herself was an enthusiastic if intermittent London Fashion Week attendee from the mid-’80s onwards, using the flashbulb frenzy that followed her from Coleherne Court to Kensington Palace to illuminate the brilliance of the likes of Joe Casely-Hayford.
—Alice Newbold, Vogue, 22 Feb. 2025
Not much can be made of the expressions on their faces, but the contorted bodies are sketched to reveal a sense—even evoke a sound—of intermittent agony.
—Emmanuel Iduma, ARTnews.com, 21 Feb. 2025
Berg is a licensed chiropractor as well as a health expert who specializes in the keto diet and intermittent fasting.
—Ashley J. Dimella Fox News, Fox News, 21 Feb. 2025
The reason for this bill is to address the energy crisis that Marylanders find themselves in after years of state and federal energy policies that primarily focused on wind, solar and battery storage that are intermittent renewable energy resources.
—Teresa Reilly, Baltimore Sun, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for intermittent
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Alice Newbold, Vogue, 22 Feb. 2025
Not much can be made of the expressions on their faces, but the contorted bodies are sketched to reveal a sense—even evoke a sound—of intermittent agony.
—Emmanuel Iduma, ARTnews.com, 21 Feb. 2025
Berg is a licensed chiropractor as well as a health expert who specializes in the keto diet and intermittent fasting.
—Ashley J. Dimella Fox News, Fox News, 21 Feb. 2025
The reason for this bill is to address the energy crisis that Marylanders find themselves in after years of state and federal energy policies that primarily focused on wind, solar and battery storage that are intermittent renewable energy resources.
—Teresa Reilly, Baltimore Sun, 20 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for intermittent
Cite this Entry
“Intermittent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intermittent. Accessed 8 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
intermittent
adjective
in·ter·mit·tent
ˌint-ər-ˈmit-ᵊnt
: starting, stopping, and starting again
an intermittent fever
intermittently
adverb
Medical Definition
intermittent
adjective
in·ter·mit·tent
ˌint-ər-ˈmit-ᵊnt
: coming and going at intervals : not continuous
intermittent fever
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