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Synonyms

every now and then

Idioms  

  1. Also, every now and again; every once in a while; every so often. Occasionally, from time to time; also, periodically. For example, Every now and then I long for a piece of chocolate, or We take long walks every now and again, or Every once in a while he'll call, or Every so often she washes the car. The first term dates from the first half of the 1700s, the last from the mid-1900s. Also see from time to time; once in a while.

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.

So every now and then he’d send a funny GIF to lighten the mood.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

While I still experiment with la grande cuisine, as Julia Child invited us to do every now and then, on those rare weekend occasions I cook for two or three, not 10 or more.

From Salon • Nov. 1, 2025

“It’s been cruising along for a while, magnificently, and every now and then, the market just slams the brakes to make sure the passengers are still awake.”

From MarketWatch • Oct. 21, 2025

Her mom, Joelle, had caught “Gilmore Girls” every now and then when it was airing, and she introduced it to her daughter years later, watching it more intently with her new viewing partner.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 5, 2025

A rash had broken out on your back, making your skin as rough as sandpaper, and you moaned every now and then.

From "The Bridge Home" by Padma Venkatraman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.