What Is Another Way to Say “On and Off”?

Looking for synonyms for on and off? We’ve got you covered!

Here’s a list of other ways to say on and off.

  • Intermittently
  • Sporadically
  • Periodically
  • Occasionally
  • Off and on
  • Infrequently
  • At intervals
  • From time to time
  • Now and then
  • Irregularly
  • On occasion
  • In fits and starts
  • Erratically
  • Unevenly
  • Discontinuously
  • Spasmodically
  • Inconstantly
  • Unsteadily
  • Alternately
  • Patchily

Want to learn how to say on and off professionally? Keep reading for examples and use cases.

1. Intermittently

Appropriate Use: Occurring at irregular intervals; not continuous or steady.
Example: “The network has been functioning intermittently due to technical issues.”

2. Sporadically

Appropriate Use: Occurring at irregular intervals or only in a few places; scattered or isolated.
Example: “Sporadically, the team would meet to discuss the progress of the project.”

3. Periodically

Appropriate Use: From time to time; occasionally.
Example: “The software is updated periodically to introduce new features.”

4. Occasionally

Appropriate Use: At infrequent or irregular intervals; now and then.
Example: “He works from home occasionally, depending on the project’s demands.”

5. Off and on

Appropriate Use: Not consistently; intermittently.
Example: “She has been working on the manuscript off and on for several months.”

6. Infrequently

Appropriate Use: Not occurring often; rare.
Example: “Infrequently, the team would encounter issues that delayed their progress.”

7. At intervals

Appropriate Use: With gaps of time between actions or events.
Example: “At intervals, the company conducts training sessions for its employees.”

8. From time to time

Appropriate Use: Sometimes, but not often.
Example: “The manager checks in on the team’s progress from time to time.”

9. Now and then

Appropriate Use: Occasionally; from time to time.
Example: “Now and then, we receive feedback that helps us improve our services.”

10. Irregularly

Appropriate Use: In a way that is not even or regular in pattern or movement; unpredictably.
Example: “The equipment has been operating irregularly since the malfunction.”

11. On occasion

Appropriate Use: Once in a while; occasionally.
Example: “On occasion, the CEO will attend departmental meetings to give updates.”

12. In fits and starts

Appropriate Use: With irregular bursts of activity.
Example: “The project progressed in fits and starts due to changing priorities.”

13. Erratically

Appropriate Use: In a manner that is not even or regular in pattern or movement; unpredictably.
Example: “The market has been behaving erratically in recent weeks.”

14. Unevenly

Appropriate Use: In an unequal or irregular way.
Example: “Workload distribution among the team members has been unevenly managed.”

15. Discontinuously

Appropriate Use: Not continuous; occurring at irregular intervals.
Example: “Production has been running discontinuously due to supply chain disruptions.”

16. Spasmodically

Appropriate Use: In a sporadic manner; irregularly.
Example: “Spasmodically, the research team would discover breakthroughs in their work.”

17. Inconstantly

Appropriate Use: Not consistent or having a fixed pattern; liable to change.
Example: “The company’s policy on remote work has been applied inconstantly.”

18. Unsteadily

Appropriate Use: In an unsteady or wobbly manner.
Example: “Sales figures have been moving unsteadily for the past few months.”

19. Alternately

Appropriate Use: In a way that alternates; by turns.
Example: “The device operates alternately in different modes to save energy.”

20. Patchily

Appropriate Use: In a way that lacks consistency or uniformity; unevenly.
Example: “The team’s performance has been patchily improving over the quarter.”

Linda Brown