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.
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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
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Reduced to occasionally doing commercials for used cars, and spending most of his days drinking, despairing, and sporadically playing Russian roulette in a retirement home for actors, the curmudgeonly Montana has a death wish that only sheer luck has kept him from fulfilling.—
Joe Leydon,
Variety,
5 Mar. 2025
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So, what does a real-deal capital-A artist wear to an event like the Oscars that is only sporadically about art (and more frequently about commerce)?—
Dave Schilling,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Feb. 2025
Adverb
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However, all borrowers in IDR must periodically recertify their income to have their monthly payment recalculated.—
Adam S. Minsky,
Forbes,
3 Mar. 2025
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However, the virus is reintroduced through international travel periodically, with 16 outbreaks reported nationwide in 2024, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.—
Harriet Blair Rowan,
The Mercury News,
3 Mar. 2025
Adverb
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Traditional, romantic, and intimate, overlooking one of America’s most beautiful avenues, The Eliot Hotel is a taste of the old world and everything a boutique hotel should be but rarely is.—
Everett Potter,
Forbes,
5 Mar. 2025
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There are some good players, but elite performers rarely reach the open market in the prime years of their career.—
Brad Biggs,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Mar. 2025
Adverb
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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
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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 13 Mar. 2025.
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