occasionally
Once in a while
Occasionally means now and then, at irregular intervals—more than rarely but less than frequently.
I occasionally treat myself to dessert.
We see each other occasionally, maybe once a month.
The word suggests something that happens without pattern or schedule, neither routine nor exceptional.
Not often occurring
- seldomOn few occasions
- sometimesAt irregular intervals
- uncommonlyTo an unusual degree
- periodicallyAt recurring intervals
sporadically · irregularly · once in a while · from time to time · now and then · every so often · not often · at intervals
Intermittent in occurrence
- periodicallyAt recurring intervals
- episodicallyHappening in distinct segments
- fitfullyIn irregular bursts
- discontinuouslyWith interruptions between
off and on · in fits and starts · spasmodically · stop and go · brokenly · patchily · unevenly · alternately
Without foreseeable pattern
- haphazardlyWithout order or plan
- erraticallyIn an inconsistent manner
- randomlyWithout deliberate selection
- by chanceOccurring without design
unexpectedly · irregularly · capriciously · inconsistently · whimsically · arbitrarily · unsystematically
rarely
Not often occurring
- seldomOn few occasions
- sometimesAt irregular intervals
- uncommonlyTo an unusual degree
periodically · sporadically · irregularly · once in a while · from time to time · now and then · every so often · not often · at intervals · infrequently
on and off
Intermittent in occurrence
- periodicallyAt recurring intervals
- episodicallyHappening in distinct segments
- fitfullyIn irregular bursts
discontinuously · off and on · in fits and starts · spasmodically · stop and go · brokenly · patchily · unevenly · alternately
unpredictably
Without foreseeable pattern
- haphazardlyWithout order or plan
- erraticallyIn an inconsistent manner
- randomlyWithout deliberate selection
by chance · unexpectedly · irregularly · capriciously · inconsistently · whimsically · arbitrarily · unsystematically
- frequency wordsalways, never, often, sometimes, usually
- infrequencyrarely, seldom, infrequent, infrequently, sometimes
- tricky spellingsaccommodate, acknowledge, acquaintance, acquire, bureau
- time wordsminute, hour, day, now, soon
- frequencyfrequency, hertz, Hz, kilohertz, megahertz
- sentence adverbsobviously, certainly, probably, possibly, perhaps
occasionallyregularly
At fixed intervals
consistently · steadily · invariably · routinely · habitually
- occasional tableSmall auxiliary furniture piece