as in on and off
not constantly or steadily over a period of time
They've been dating off and on for almost a year.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example 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 off and on
Patchy, blowing snow could continue off and on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
—
Katie Langford, The Denver Post, 29 Jan. 2025
Add in overlapping affairs with Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro) and radical activist Sylvie Russo (Elle Fanning’s take on the real-life Suze Rotolo), the singular artist finds himself at multiple crossroads off and on the stage, culminating in his genre-defining decision to go electric.
—Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 26 Jan. 2025
However, just as with the NSA advice for smartphone users to turn it off and on again, a single piece of advice is never going to be enough to provide anything more than surface-level protection.
—Davey Winder, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024
Rain will continue Saturday, Sunday and Monday, off and on, and is expected to peak Monday night into Tuesday, with dry conditions Wednesday and more on Thursday.
—Paul Rogers, The Mercury News, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for off and on
Katie Langford, The Denver Post, 29 Jan. 2025
Add in overlapping affairs with Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro) and radical activist Sylvie Russo (Elle Fanning’s take on the real-life Suze Rotolo), the singular artist finds himself at multiple crossroads off and on the stage, culminating in his genre-defining decision to go electric.
—Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 26 Jan. 2025
However, just as with the NSA advice for smartphone users to turn it off and on again, a single piece of advice is never going to be enough to provide anything more than surface-level protection.
—Davey Winder, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024
Rain will continue Saturday, Sunday and Monday, off and on, and is expected to peak Monday night into Tuesday, with dry conditions Wednesday and more on Thursday.
—Paul Rogers, The Mercury News, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for off and on
Recent Examples of Synonyms for off and on
Adverb
-
This estate recovery technically is required today but many states enforce the rule only sporadically.—
Howard Gleckman,
Forbes,
21 Feb. 2025
-
The Charlotte Observer has tried to answer them, too. Clues about what happened to the Fallston Elementary fourth grader sporadically popped up in the last two decades.—
Julia Coin,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Feb. 2025
Adverb
-
Replace default PINs on devices with unique ones and update them periodically.—
Alex Vakulov,
Forbes,
20 Feb. 2025
-
The proceedings, which wrapped up in December, periodically grew contentious, with lawyers lobbing insults at each other.—
Christy Gutowski,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Feb. 2025
Adverb
-
Scaling Operations and Overcoming Challenges The path to success is rarely smooth, and Kochnev has faced numerous challenges along the way.—
Tyler Shepherd,
USA TODAY,
22 Feb. 2025
-
There is a tendency to expect gifted youngsters to either arrive fully formed or to develop on a linear path — the reality is rarely like that.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
The Athletic,
21 Feb. 2025
Adverb
-
At the end of his life, Hackman was seldom seen out in public, and little was known about his health.—
Lily Ford,
The Hollywood Reporter,
27 Feb. 2025
-
Arsenal’s attack seldom threatened, while West Ham’s defensive resolve was epitomised by Scarles’ presence.—
Roshane Thomas,
The Athletic,
23 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Off and on.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/off%20and%20on. Accessed 6 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share