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at intervals

ADJECTIVE
piecemeal
Synonyms
STRONGEST
gradual
WEAK
by fits and starts fragmentary intermittent interrupted little-by-little partial patchy spotty step-by-step
ADVERB
between
Synonyms
STRONG
betwixt
WEAK
amid amidst among bounded by centrally located enclosed by halfway in in the middle in the midst of in the seam in the thick of inserted interpolated intervening medially mid midway separating
ADVERB
irregularly
Synonyms
STRONGEST
erratically fitfully haphazardly infrequently sporadically unevenly
WEAK
any which way anyhow by fits and starts by turns disconnectedly eccentrically helter-skelter in snatches jerkily now and again occasionally off and on out of sequence periodically slapdash spasmodically uncertainly uncommonly unmethodically unpunctually willy-nilly
Antonyms
WEAK
evenly regularly
ADVERB
now and then
Synonyms
STRONGEST
every now and then every so often infrequently intermittently now and again occasionally periodically sporadically
WEAK
at times every once in a while from time to time hardly irregularly not often off and on on occasion once and again once in a blue moon once in a while once or twice sometimes
ADVERB
occasionally
Synonyms
STRONGEST
hardly infrequently periodically seldom sometimes sporadically
WEAK
at random at times every so often from time to time irregularly now and again on occasion once in a blue moon once in a while once or twice uncommonly
Antonyms
WEAK
always constantly frequently regularly steadily usually
ADVERB
off and on
Synonyms
WEAK
alternately at times every once in a while every so often fluctuating from time to time irregularly now and then occasionally on occasion once in a while sometimes sporadically vacillating variably
ADVERB
on and off
Synonyms
WEAK
at times discontinuously every now and then every once in a while every so often from time to time hardly infrequently intermittently irregularly now and again now and then occasionally off and on on occasion once in a blue moon once in a while periodically sometimes sporadically
ADVERB
once in a while
Synonyms
WEAK
at times every now and then every so often from time to time hardly infrequently irregularly now and again on occasion once in a blue moon periodically rarely seldom sometimes sporadically
ADVERB
sometimes
Synonyms
STRONGEST
consistently constantly frequently occasionally
WEAK
at times ever and again every so often from time to time here and there intermittently now and again now and then off and on on occasion once in a blue moon once in a while periodically recurrently
Antonyms
WEAK
never

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Under pressure from neighbors, Germanic and Sarmatian tribes began crossing the Danube, one of Rome’s borders, in the 160s and continuing at intervals throughout the 170s.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 11, 2026

Pulsars emit powerful beams of electromagnetic radiation from their magnetic poles at intervals measured in milliseconds.

From Science Daily • Jan. 1, 2026

Through 2027, he will return at intervals to the Royal Opera to conduct all four installments of a “Ring” cycle staged by Barrie Kosky.

From New York Times • Jun. 4, 2024

Jarvis broadcast himself live on X, formerly Twitter, ringing a mobile phone at intervals to trigger the noises as the Euros draw, which was streamed on the BBC, took place in Hamburg, Germany.

From BBC • Dec. 3, 2023

For these people do not sleep soundly all night; they awaken at intervals and talk a little and then go to sleep again.

From "The Pearl" by John Steinbeck