off and on

adverb
UK: /ˌɒf ən ˈɒn/
US: /ˌɔːf ən ˈɔːn/

  1. Happening sometimes, but not regularly or continuously; intermittently.

    1. It rained off and on all day, so we stayed inside.
    2. The power was going off and on frequently during the storm, making it hard to work.

Synonyms

occasionally sporadically periodically
off and on idiom

  1. Existing or happening for limited periods; not consistently present or functioning.

    1. We've been dating off and on for about two years now.
    2. My internet connection has been off and on all week, making it difficult to attend meetings.

Frequently Asked Questions

The phonetic transcription of "off and on" is /ˌɒf ən ˈɒn/ in British English and /ˌɔːf ən ˈɔːn/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "off and on": occasionally, sporadically, periodically.

Example usage of "off and on": "It rained off and on all day, so we stayed inside.". More examples on the page.