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on and off

on and off

42 2.0
Happens sometimes but not regularly
  • idiom
: de vez en cuando
  • We were together on and off for 10 years.
  • on and off since

Hmm four years on and off is a long time.

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Examples

  • Tam and I have had this argument on and off through the years.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • You been seeing her long? - A couple of weeks, on and off.

    Men with Brooms (2002)

  • Hmm four years on and off is a long time.

    Hot Mess with Alix Earle

  • We were on and off for about a year.

    Silent Fall (1994)

  • I worked at my dad's store on and off for years all through high school.

    Raising Buchanan (2019)

  • I've been seeing this boy Brian on and off for a few months now.

    The Girls Bathroom

  • So today it has been raining on and off all afternoon here in Prague.

    Brett Conti

  • Of course, I've been living on and off in Argentina and Uruguay for years.

    The Rich Dad Channel

  • I've been seeing this boy Brian on and off for a few months now.

  • We were together on and off for 10 years.

Synonyms

sometimes
vson and off
∞ 1.0

On some occasions but not always

is a colloquial way to name that occasional occurrence
at times
vson and off
464 1.0

Happens sometimes but not often

is the informal way to express that non regular presence
occasionally
vson and off
407 2.0

Happens sometimes but not often

is the everyday expression used for the same infrequent happening
once in a while
vson and off
353 1.6

Sometimes, but not very often

is the general casual expression covering such infrequent events
on occasion
vson and off
310 1.7

It happens sometimes but not very often

is the common conversational phrase for that occasional occurrence
now and then
vson and off
  • Informal
259 1.0

Happens sometimes but not very often

is the broader informal label for that occasional happening
from time to time
vson and off
228 1.4

Happens sometimes but not regularly

is the common informal phrase for such non continuous occurrence
every now and then
vson and off
133 2.0

Sometimes, not very often

is the standard casual form expressing that same irregularity
now and again
vson and off
  • Informal
56 2.3

Happens sometimes but not very often

serves as a simple phrase meaning the same irregular occurrence
every so often
vson and off
41 2.4

Happens sometimes, but not very often

is the everyday phrase describing those intermittent gaps
off and on
vson and off
34 2.5

Happens sometimes but not regularly

is the plain spoken phrase summarising that intermittent pattern
intermittently
vson and off
15 6.0

In a way that stops and starts at irregular times

is the casual phrase that covers such interrupted occurrence as well
sporadically
vson and off
13 6.5

Happening only sometimes and not regularly

is the everyday expression used to name that irregular happening
off-and-on
vson and off
3 3.8

Happening sometimes and stopping at other times

is the simpler idiomatic way to describe that starting and stopping

Antonyms

regularly
378 1.0

Often at the same or fixed times

continuously
92 2.3

Happens without stopping or pausing

How Often

often
∞ 1.0
regularly
378 1.0
on and off
42 2.0
rarely
508 1.0
never
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

on and off positive

Morphology

on + and + off

The meaning 'occasionally; from time to time' is directly inferable from the literal alternation of 'on' and 'off' — i.e. something being on at times and off at others. This compositional alternation is a common, cross-linguistic pattern and follows standard English usage, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily understand it.

Etymology

On and off may come from the image of a light being switched on and then off again. Because the light comes and goes, on and off now means 'occasionally' rather than 'all the time'.