Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective fitful contrast with its synonyms?

The words convulsive and spasmodic are common synonyms of fitful. While all three words mean "lacking steadiness or regularity in movement," fitful implies intermittence, a succession of starts and stops or risings and fallings.

fitful sleep

Where would convulsive be a reasonable alternative to fitful?

Although the words convulsive and fitful have much in common, convulsive suggests the breaking of regularity or quiet by uncontrolled movement.

convulsive shocks

How do spasmodic and fitful relate to one another?

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

spasmodic growth

Examples 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 fitful The possible fundraising move comes amid a fitful year for Boeing marked by a quality crisis, a CEO shake-up and now a crippling strike. Nathan Bomey, Axios, 1 Oct. 2024 Regardless, his priorities lay elsewhere, in dealing with the Great Recession and winding down the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and throughout his first term, Latin America received only fitful attention. Michael Reid, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2015 The film shot in three weeks in a cramped New York apartment, with fitful breaks when Lyonne smokes dope in the yard. Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 20 Sep. 2024 This flurry of visits and meetings was refreshing after the Trump administration’s fitful and reluctant engagement with Southeast Asia. Bilahari Kausikan, Foreign Affairs, 11 May 2022 See all Example Sentences for fitful 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fitful
Adjective
  • Haze — a cousin of drum legend Buddy Rich — went on to appear in Corman’s 1963 films The Terror and X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes and would have sporadic film and TV roles culminating with the 2010 gangland drama feature Nobody Smiling.
    Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 4 Nov. 2024
  • Popular on Variety As for adult viewers, they may be engrossed during the sporadic stretches of middling suspense, and impressed by the striking cinematography of Idan Menin, which greatly enhances the movie’s overall impact.
    Joe Leydon, Variety, 1 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Azealia Banks, lightning rod and occasional oracle, is voting for Kamala Harris despite not liking her and previously supporting Trump.
    Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2024
  • Kelly was once a respected journalist at Fox News, one of the network’s occasional examples of a more fair-and-balanced news person, as opposed to the far-right musings of Sean Hannity and the like.
    Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • This presented significant challenges to utilities because of the intermittent nature of renewable energy.
    Greg Robinson, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
  • Plus: Expect intermittent closures of Pennsylvania Avenue between the 2200-2400 blocks on Monday.
    Mike D'Onofrio, Axios, 1 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • The reasons why election watchers may see sudden changes in Kamala Harris' or Donald Trump's standing in the most competitive states is largely influenced by two factors: how absentee ballots are processed and the population density of an area.
    Graham Kates, CBS News, 5 Nov. 2024
  • Since the intelligence agencies do not usually bother to debunk such individual bits of false propaganda, the sudden flurry of public notifications indicates the severity of the threat that U.S. spies now see in the underlying Russian plot against the election.
    The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Notorious for his fiery personality and erratic behavior, Steinbrenner replaced his managers 20 times in his first 23 seasons—firing and then rehiring Billy Martin five times—and changed publicity directors 13 times in 26 years, according to Sports Illustrated.
    Justin Birnbaum, Forbes, 25 Oct. 2024
  • The bottom line: As Election Day nears, Trump has not tapered his off-script controversial comments — rather, his language has grown more erratic and hyperbolic.
    Avery Lotz, Axios, 20 Oct. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near fitful

Cite this Entry

“Fitful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fitful. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on fitful

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