intermittently

[ in-ter-mit-nt-lee ]

adverb

1. at occasional or uneven intervals:

   This species of flounder spawns mainly during the summer and early fall, but may spawn intermittently throughout the year.

   In this parched landscape, water flows intermittently, with lakes and streams forming in the wet season and disappearing in the dry season.

Other Words From

• non·in·ter·mit·tent·ly adverb
• un·in·ter·mit·tent·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of intermittently¹

intermittent ( def ) + -ly

Example Sentences

He said even officers who go undercover “intermittently” still face danger from having their faces so widely available online.

From Los Angeles Times

While there were makeshift wine bars intermittently set up throughout the space during the media preview, it’s unclear whether the museum will provide provisions for the general public.

From Los Angeles Times

“It’s been intermittently smelling very fishy and stinky since then, especially when the wind is low.”

From Los Angeles Times

As the BBC's tennis correspondent Russell Fuller outlined, players will intermittently complain about electronic line calling, but there has been consensus for a while that the technology is now more accurate and consistent than a human.

From BBC

What I valued most about “The Hills of California,” which intermittently erupts in nostalgic song, is that it doesn’t impose its interpretation of the characters onto the audience.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• occasionally
• periodically
• sporadically