intermittent

Examples

• All

• The hikers faced intermittent cell service while climbing the mountain, making it hard to communicate.

• Reports from inside the city are intermittent.

  Horizon (2019)

• Your husband will be gone for six months with only intermittent contact.

  The Mercy (2018)

• OK, that would explain its intermittent behavior.

• The signal was intermittent... and they lost it over open water but... if you project the track... it hits this island group.

  Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

• The patient also had intermittent difficulty controlling his arms when trying to eat.

  Academic text (2012)

• In the distance from the wharf comes the intermittent sound of a ship's siren.

  Fiction book (1996)

• Intermittent heavy rain has been forecast here at Fuji today, along with strong winds and occasional fog rolling in from the mountain.

  Rush (2013)

• The city experienced intermittent heavy rain throughout the afternoon, causing some flooding.

• During the meeting, his intermittent laughter caught everyone's attention.

Synonyms

O

occasional

vsintermittent

285 2.8

Happening now and then but not often

occurs at uneven intervals and often with unpredictable gaps

E

erratic

vsintermittent

94 6.1

Not regular or predictable and likely to change suddenly

relates to irregular timing but without the emphasis on sudden change

C

continual

vsintermittent

39 3.5

Happening again and again with short breaks

implies more frequent returns rather than irregular, widely spaced intervals

S

sporadic

vsintermittent

35 7.0

Happening sometimes and in different places

is similar but more about repeated stopping and starting over time

I

irregular

vsintermittent

27 3.5

Happening at no fixed times

occurs at uneven intervals and highlights repeated stopping and starting

R

recurrent

vsintermittent

12 4.7

Happening again and again, often at regular times

emphasizes uneven intervals and noncontinuous occurrence rather than periodic repetition

E

episodic

vsintermittent

3 7.1

Happening only sometimes and not regularly

highlights irregular timing between events rather than continuous occurrence

O

off-and-on

vsintermittent

3 3.8

Happening sometimes and stopping at other times

describes uneven occurrences with emphasis on gaps rather than casual frequency

N

nonpersistent

vsintermittent

1 6.0

Not lasting for a long time

focuses on timing gaps and repeated occurrence rather than short duration

N

nonperiodic

vsintermittent

7.6

Happening at irregular times

occurs at uneven intervals but stresses break and restart rather than periodicity

A

aperiodic

vsintermittent

• Specialized

8.2

Does not happen at regular times or repeat a pattern

occurs at uneven intervals and focuses on noncontinuous timing

N

noncontinuous

vsintermittent

5.8

Happening with breaks in time or place

highlights irregular timing and repeated pauses rather than mere noncontinuity

I

interrupted

vsintermittent

3.4

Happening with short pauses that stop and start again

stresses irregular timing and lack of steady occurrence rather than single stoppage

R

recurring

vsintermittent

3.3

Happens again and again over time

suggests repeated uneven timing rather than a clear periodic cycle

Antonyms

C

continuous

141 3.7

Without a break or gap, for example in a curve

Compounds

I

intermittent cramp

• Specialized

7.5

Painful muscle twitching that comes and goes, sometimes with seizures, from low calcium or vitamin D

I

intermittent tetanus

• Specialized

8.4

A condition that causes repeated muscle cramps and twitching, often from low calcium or vitamin D

I

intermittent claudication

• Specialized

9.9

Pain and cramp in leg muscles from poor blood flow that starts when you walk and stops when you rest

How Intermittent

sporadic

35 7.0

intermittent

35 6.5

occasional

285 2.8

continuous

141 3.7

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology