on and off
Not consistently happening
On and off describes something that happens intermittently rather than continuously—starting, stopping, and starting again over time.
We dated on and off for years before getting married.
It rained on and off all afternoon.
The phrase can also function as an adjective: an on-and-off relationship.
The variant off and on means the same thing.
Occurring irregularly, infrequently
- periodicOccurring at intervals
- occasionallyAt infrequent intervals
- episodicOccurring in distinct segments
- cyclicalRepeating in rounds
alternating · fluctuating · irregular · infrequent · interrupted · discontinuous · fitful · pulsing
sporadic
Occurring irregularly, infrequently
- periodicOccurring at intervals
- occasionallyAt infrequent intervals
- episodicOccurring in distinct segments
cyclical · alternating · fluctuating · irregular · infrequent · interrupted · discontinuous · fitful · pulsing · flickering
- Inconsistencywishy-washy, flip-flop, fickle, unreliable, unpredictable
- relationshipsfriends, romantic, family, friend, flirting
- oppositesopposite, opposites, antonym, antonyms, inverse
- infrequencyrarely, seldom, infrequent, infrequently, occasionally
- oscillationoscillation, back and forth, back-and-forth, to and fro, ebb and flow
- romantic gameslove triangle, mind games, hot and cold, mixed signals, cat and mouse
on and offcontinuously
Without pause or interruption
constantly · steadily · nonstop · uninterruptedly · perpetually
on and offcommitted
Firmly pledged or bound
dedicated · devoted · wholeheartedly · full-time · all in
on and offregularly
At fixed intervals
consistently · reliably · dependably · predictably · like clockwork
off, onto, onward, ongoing, onlooker, offspring, oncoming, offset, onslaught