as in sporadic
lacking in steadiness or regularity of occurrence
a night of fitful sleep did not leave me feeling well rested the next morning
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Recent Examples of fitful
By Jack Flemming , Summer Lin, Hannah Fry and Ian James
Jan. 8, 2025 3 PM PT
A dry wind was already stirring when the sun rose over Pacific Palisades on Tuesday, fitful gusts whipping palm fronds seaward and making eucalyptus limbs creek and groan.
—
Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2025
Pyongyang began taking fitful steps toward a nuclear weapon during the Cold War, tested its first bomb in 2006, and today regularly issues nuclear threats against its southern neighbor.
—Robert E. Kelly, Foreign Affairs, 30 Dec. 2024
Rage, grievance, and fitful dreams of an American autocracy won.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
In July, Paramount Global reached a historic agreement for an $8 billion sale to David Ellison’s Skydance Media after almost a year of fitful negotiations.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 18 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for fitful
Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2025
Pyongyang began taking fitful steps toward a nuclear weapon during the Cold War, tested its first bomb in 2006, and today regularly issues nuclear threats against its southern neighbor.
—Robert E. Kelly, Foreign Affairs, 30 Dec. 2024
Rage, grievance, and fitful dreams of an American autocracy won.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
In July, Paramount Global reached a historic agreement for an $8 billion sale to David Ellison’s Skydance Media after almost a year of fitful negotiations.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 18 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for fitful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fitful
Adjective
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China has snubbed the Pentagon’s efforts to maintain military-to-military dialogue, and although former Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin finally met his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun in May 2024, contacts remain sporadic.—
Sergey Radchenko,
Foreign Affairs,
18 Feb. 2025
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Even with those limitations in place, the state’s procurement of EVs has been sporadic.—
John Moritz,
Hartford Courant,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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When do most of us wear gowns outside of the occasional black tie wedding?—
Sarah Boyd,
Forbes,
28 Feb. 2025
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According to Vasudevan, short-haired breeds typically need brushing once a week and occasional baths, while medium to long-haired breeds, like the golden retriever in the clip, may need brushing a few times a week to prevent tangles.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
Adjective
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Release date, cast, more Queen Latifah, Adrien Brody, Kerry Washington, more stars flock to Thom Browne's NYFW show 'Really bummed out:' Beverly Ortega explains sudden departure from 'The Bachelor' When is WorldPride Music Festival 2025?—
Anthony Robledo,
USA TODAY,
19 Feb. 2025
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But the sudden influx of sightseers has become a safety risk, according to Salvo Cocina, head of Sicily’s regional Civil Protection agency.—
Billy Stockwell,
CNN,
18 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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His career arc was atypically jagged and erratic for a pop singer, starting at an unnaturally young age and continuing for decades, but rarely for more than a hit song at a time, and often with many fallow years coming in between them.—
Andrew Unterberger,
Billboard,
27 Feb. 2025
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Deepfake films, for example, frequently feature odd blinking patterns, erratic lighting and inconsistent facial expressions.—
Rohan Pinto,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fitful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fitful. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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