Both adjectives describe things that happen infrequently and not at regular intervals. Occasional refers to things that occur once in a while: occasional trips home; have the occasional drink. Occasional can have the effect of downplaying—both “casual” and occasional come from a Latin verb meaning “fall” or “befall,” that is, happen by chance. Sporadic’s descent from a Greek word for “seed” or “sowing,” and hence “scattered,” suggests things falling where or when they may. Sporadic emphasizes irregularity and is often paired with negative adjectives like inconsistent, unpredictable, and haphazard. In some contexts it implies that ideally things would be more frequent and consistent: sporadic efforts; sporadic attendance. Sporadic also tends to be used with explosive occurrences: sporadic outbursts; sporadic gunfire; sporadic violence.

Both words refer to someone who puts on a false or deceptive appearance or persona. Fake is the broader term. It covers all phonies—the insincere, the pretentious, and the outright deceitful. A charlatan is someone who poses as an expert in some area of knowledge and uses their charismatic gifts in order to sell a bogus miracle product—whether it’s the proverbial medicinal snake oil or political promises. Charlatans typically connive, thieve, and peddle. The word frequently appears in the company of words for exposing someone as a charlatan, such as demask and debunk. Publicly calling someone a charlatan is also newsworthy.

Small is a fairly neutral word to describe an amount that is not large. To let someone know how you really feel about such an amount, you could qualify small with “ridiculously” or “insultingly”—or you could capture all that information in one word, namely, paltry, which suggests a very small, insignificant, or inadequate amount. By far the most frequent application of paltry is monetary: a paltry sum, amount, or salary, although there might be paltry attendance at a poorly publicized event, or, if you have nothing better to complain about, a paltry serving of caviar. The paltriness of something often emerges comparatively: The other late night show had a comparatively paltry 89,000 viewers for its holiday special.