on and off 1 of 2

adverb

Definition of on and offnext
as in off and on
not constantly or steadily over a period of time It's been raining on and off all afternoon.

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Dissimilar Words

on-and-off

2 of 2

adjective

as in recurrent
occurring or appearing at intervals an on-and-off friendship over the years

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 on and off
Adjective
Prior to her connection with Pillsbury, Johnson was in an on-and-off relationship with Martin, Coldplay’s frontman. — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2026 Hayden Panettiere’s on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson is speaking out amid the ongoing investigation into the late Nashville actress’s tragic death at 36. — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 17 Sep. 2026 Shot on-and-off by the filmmaker over the course of three years, the documentary is receiving its world premiere as the opening night film of the Oldenburg International Film Festival. — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026 Detailed in the script, Carrie crushes the spewing water pipes with her mind, but the folks manning the on-and-off switches aren’t yet in sync. — Entertainment Weekly, 15 Sep. 2026 Justin and Hailey officially wed in September 2018 at a New York City courthouse after years of on-and-off dating. — Mitchell Peters, Billboard, 13 Sep. 2026 But after eight years of on-and-off trade and technology wars with the United States, China’s economic fundamentals have remained stable. — Da Wei, Foreign Affairs, 7 Sep. 2026 Hayden Panettiere's estranged mother, Lesley Vogel, is disputing the account of her daughter's final hours given by Panettiere's on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson. — Paris Close, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026 Continue reading … FIRST WORDS — Hayden Panettiere's on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson breaks his silence. — FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for on and off
  1. off and on
  2. recurrent
  3. sporadically
  4. recurring
  5. intermittently
  6. periodic
  7. periodically
  8. intermittent
Adverb
  • Lightning coach Jon Cooper gave him the opportunity Thursday night by pulling Andrei Vasilevskiy off and on during the third period for an extra attacker.
    — Stephen Whyno, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Rain showers will continue off and on Monday, with the rain beginning to taper Monday night.
    — Sarah Wroblewski, CBS News, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of off and on
Adjective
  • Security training Current TSA regulations require recurrent security training for flight crew and cabin crew members, which includes self-defense training and exercises on how to handle a hijacking.
    — Jeff Price, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The second, given by Stille, enlisted a recurrent theme in Eco’s fiction — how falsehood often trumps truth — to discuss the crisis of liberal democracy and its institutions.
    — Bartolomeo Sala, The Dial, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of recurrent
Adverb
  • Hogan added that the market could experience more trading days like this sporadically over the coming months if sentiment remains subdued amid tensions in the Middle East.
    — Sean Conlon, CNBC, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Bators died in 1990, but the group sporadically reunited and toured in the decades after.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of sporadically
Adjective
  • How Recurring Revenue Is The Pump There’s only one kind of funding that reliably shows up in year seven—recurring, unrestricted revenue.
    — Sarah Evans, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Excluding non-recurring events, the magnitude of the average S & P 500 earnings surprise for the quarter is still about 11%.
    — Sarah Min, CNBC, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of recurring
Adverb
  • Parker’s hair was gathered into an enormous, layered, fishtail braid that starts high on the back of her head with a bow, its ends interlaced intermittently with the incredibly thick folds of the plaits.
    — Marci Robin, Allure, 2 Oct. 2026
  • But according to Erika, his heart continued to beat intermittently, creating a cruel window of hope.
    — Clara Molot, Vanity Fair, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of intermittently
Adjective
  • Trouble in the tropics El Niño is a periodic climate cycle that features hotter-than-normal sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific Ocean.
    — Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026
  • There's no access to ice or cold water, and during periodic power outages, there's no electricity.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of periodic
Adverb
  • Clients meet with their advisor periodically to discuss priorities and review progress on financial goals.
    — Kate Dore, CFP®, EA,Kelli Grant, CFP®, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Property owners, landlords, community associations and property managers should periodically inspect irrigation systems to identify problems.
    — Christyne D. Santisteban, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of periodically
Adjective
  • There are still intermittent closures and construction connected to recovery projects, and the park service recommends consulting the road status section of its website when traveling to the region.
    — Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026
  • My prototype suffered from intermittent rolling resistance with the motor off.
    — Thomas Ricker, The Verge, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of intermittent

Browse Nearby Words

on all hands
on and off
on-and-off
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Cite this Entry

“On and off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/on%20and%20off. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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