intermittent
Occurring at irregular intervals, not continuous
Examples
In a meeting
“We're experiencing intermittent connectivity issues with the server.”
Over coffee
“I've been having intermittent headaches this week.”
Why this word
occasional
Intermittent emphasizes stopping and starting at intervals, while occasional only means infrequent
periodic
Intermittent suggests irregular stopping and starting, while periodic implies regular intervals
irregular
Intermittent specifies alternating between presence and absence, while irregular only means not regular
Usage tip
Use to describe something that stops and starts unpredictably rather than being constant
Etymology
Latin: inter- (between) + mittere (to send)
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Related words
standardize
Make things uniform or consistent across the board
invariably
In every case or on every occasion; always
perpetuate
To cause something to continue indefinitely
sporadic
Occurring at irregular intervals or only occasionally
fluctuate
To rise and fall irregularly in number or amount.
intermittently
Occurring at irregular intervals, not continuously