as in off and on
not constantly or steadily over a period of time
It's been raining on and off all afternoon.
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in recurrent
occurring or appearing at intervals
an on-and-off friendship over the years
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for on and off
Adverb
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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 -
After turning the router off and on again, many devices, including my Pixel and iPhone, struggled to reconnect.—
Simon Hill,
WIRED,
5 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The theme of displacement has been recurrent in Palestinian history and the idea of staying steadfast on one’s land is an integral element of the Palestinian identity.—
Tia Goldenberg,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Jan. 2025
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They’ve been implicated in neck instability, degenerative arthritis in dogs and recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis, which can affect voice and swallowing ability.—
Dawn Kovell,
The Mercury News,
28 Jan. 2025
Adverb
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Dinner parties, on the other hand, occur sporadically with more off-the-cuff planning.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
7 Feb. 2025
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The egg shortages are likely to continue sporadically into the future, Emily Metz, president and CEO of the American Egg Board, told Fox News Digital.—
Christine Rousselle,
Fox News,
7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Anxiety about pocketbook issues, however, formed a recurring and persistent theme.—
David Lauter,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Sep. 2024
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The company has bolstered its software and securities business to diversify and bring in more recurring subscription revenue.—
Ari Levy,
CNBC,
14 Aug. 2024
Adjective
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The central tower would be subject to periodic observation by the public.—
Kelsey McKinney,
Rolling Stone,
8 Feb. 2025
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Experts explained why this method may make the egg more nutritious and provided tips for trying periodic cooking at home.—
Korin Miller,
Health,
8 Feb. 2025
Adverb
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Smith wore a dark suit off the runway, printed with an oversized burgundy polka dot patten, leaning in to whisper to Kesha periodically.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA TODAY,
8 Feb. 2025
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This means that the virus doesn't just stick around on poultry farms and periodically jump over into wildlife, but can sustain itself in wild birds, moving from one flock to the next without burning itself out.—
Gabrielle Emanuel,
NPR,
7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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In an effort to onboard users, Tubi was running a free livestream for the championship game, —which ended in a victory for the Eagles—but things didn’t exactly go swimmingly, with multiple users reporting intermittent buffering issues and freezes.—
Dimitar 'Mix' Mihov,
Forbes,
10 Feb. 2025
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However, intermittent fasting comes with major potential health risks for people with conditions such as kidney disease, diabetes, and cancer.—
Laura Dorwart,
Verywell Health,
7 Feb. 2025
Adverb
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Cut loose by the Pirates after the 1957 season, Montemayor was signed to minor league contracts with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs, occasionally appearing in major league spring training games over the next three years.—
Anders Fogh Rasmussen,
Newsweek,
5 Feb. 2025
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The base already houses a migrant facility - separate from the high-security U.S. prison for foreign terrorism suspects - that has been used occasionally for decades, including to hold Haitians and Cubans picked up at sea.—
Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali,
USA TODAY,
4 Feb. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Thesaurus Entries Near on and off
Cite this Entry
“On and off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/on%20and%20off. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
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