Meaning & use

sporadically

adverb·Academic

Occurring occasionally or at irregular intervals rather than continuously or regularly.

See it in a sentence

Rain fell sporadically throughout the afternoon, never lasting more than a few minutes at a time.

He exercised sporadically over the winter, then committed to a daily routine in spring.

A note on using this word

Sporadically emphasizes unpredictable timing, unlike occasionally, which can suggest a more even, if infrequent, pattern.

Words with a similar meaning

occasionallyintermittently

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

constantlyregularly

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