every once in a while

Part of Speech:

All (6) Adjective (1) Adverb (5)

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periodic adj.
every now and then adv.
from time to time adv.
now and then adv.
off and on adv.
on and off adv.

ADJECTIVE

periodic

Synonyms

STRONGEST

annual intermittent monthly occasional recurrent recurring regular repeated routine seasonal sporadic weekly yearly

STRONG

periodical

WEAK

alternate at various times centennial cyclic cyclical daily epochal every so often fluctuating hourly infrequent isochronal isochronous on certain occasions on-again-off-again orbital perennial rhythmic serial spasmodic

Antonyms

STRONGEST

constant infrequent unusual

WEAK

continual irregular lasting permanent sporadic variable

ADVERB

every now and then

Synonyms

STRONGEST

every so often now and again now and then

WEAK

ever so often from time to time once and again once in a while sometimes

ADVERB

from time to time

Synonyms

WEAK

ever so often every now and then infrequently not often now and again occasionally once and again once in a while periodically sometimes sporadically

ADVERB

now and then

Synonyms

STRONGEST

every now and then every so often infrequently intermittently now and again occasionally periodically sporadically

WEAK

at intervals at times 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

off and on

Synonyms

WEAK

alternately at intervals at times 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 intervals at times discontinuously every now and then 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

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.

See Examples For:

every once in a while

“We’re going to go through some pain, and every once in a while, an industry has to go through a little bit of pain to reset,” Stack said.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 27, 2026

“Our daughters remind us every once in a while that it’s not fair,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026

Yet every once in a while, a dip below the 50-day moving average can be healthy for the market, Piper Sandler’s Johnson noted.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 7, 2025

Then I think, maybe I should every once in a while.

From Salon ● Nov. 1, 2025

“What’s happening, in essence, is that you’re constantly scanning your texts and email because every once in a while you are going to get a good one and you can’t predict when that is. “

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

every once in a while

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Related Words