sporadically

adverb

spo·​rad·​i·​cal·​ly spə-ˈra-di-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce sporadically (audio)
: in a sporadic manner : not regularly or constantly
gunfire being heard sporadically
software updates that appear sporadically
Originally from the western Pacific Ocean, the shrimp have been spotted sporadically in U.S. waters for the past two decades.Rick Jervis
Even when the sun is being well behaved, parcels of plasma shoot sporadically toward Earth's dark side, prompting a bright aurora and intensifying radiation belts.Tim Beardsley

Examples of sporadically in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The resulting mystery is sporadically entertaining but a little drawn out, though Plemons plays Daniel’s nervy paranoia with frightening adeptness. David Sims, The Atlantic, 21 June 2024 Through the years, designers have incorporated fetish leather, harnesses and masks into runway looks while certain body parts have sporadically emerged as erogenous zones du jour — and sometimes emerged completely, as in Rick Owens’ famed full frontal peepholes in his fall 2015 men’s collection. Tonya Blazio-Licorish, WWD, 18 June 2024 Oprah saw her siblings sporadically growing up Oprah was raised primarily by her maternal grandmother, Hattie Mae Lee, on a farm in Mississippi. Sophie Dodd, Peoplemag, 15 June 2024 Peter’s grizzled grandfather, Al (Smith), did drop by sporadically, likely as not because the old rodeo champ now is a minster catering to substance abusers. Joe Leydon, Variety, 14 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for sporadically 

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

Word History

First Known Use

1681, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sporadically was in 1681

Dictionary Entries Near sporadically

Cite this Entry

“Sporadically.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sporadically. Accessed 4 Jul. 2024.

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