Intermittently
/ˌɪntərˈmɪtəntli/
adverbB2adverb form
Definition
Intermittently describes an action or event that happens at irregular times, not continuously or steadily. It means something starts and stops again and again, with periods of no activity in between.
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See It in Action
Happening at irregular times with breaks
- •The phone rang intermittently throughout the night.
- •The power went out intermittently during the storm.
- •She worked intermittently on her project, taking many breaks.
Occurring not continuously but in intervals
- •The machine operates intermittently to save energy.
- •Traffic lights flashed intermittently due to a power failure.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of 'intermittently' like 'sometimes,' but with a sense of stopping and starting many times, not just once or twice.
- ✓Picture a light that turns on and off repeatedly, not staying on all the time.
- ✓It feels like waiting for rain that comes and goes, sometimes pouring, sometimes stopping.
- ✓Sounds like 'in-ter-MIT-tent-ly' → imagine a mitten (hand glove) that you put on and take off again and again.
- ✓Remember a TV show that airs episodes irregularly, not every week but here and there.
- ✓NOT like 'always' (happening all the time), 'intermittently' means with pauses or breaks.
- ✓NOT like 'regularly' (happening at fixed times), 'intermittently' means irregular or random times.
- ✓NOT like 'continuously' (without stopping), 'intermittently' means stopping and starting again.
Try Other Words
- •Occasionally: happening now and then (Use when the event happens less often and is more random)
- •Sporadically: happening in scattered or irregular ways (Use when emphasizing randomness and lack of pattern)
- •From time to time: happening at certain times, not regularly (Use in informal contexts)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: 'inter-' (between) + 'mittere' (Latin root meaning to send or let go) + '-ent' (adjective suffix) + '-ly' (adverb suffix)
- •Etymology: From Latin 'intermittere,' meaning to stop or pause between actions
- •Historical development: Originally used in English to describe actions that pause or stop for periods, first recorded in the 16th century
- •Modern usage: Commonly used to describe events or actions that happen off and on, not steadily or continuously
Reflect & Connect
•How does something happening intermittently affect your plans or feelings compared to something happening continuously?
•Can you think of examples in your daily life where things happen intermittently, and how do you deal with those situations?
Fill in the blanks
1.The internet connection worked intermittently, causing ___ during the video call.
2.She checked her phone intermittently because she was ___ waiting for an important message.
3.Unlike a constant noise, the dripping water fell intermittently, with ___ between drops.
4.The teacher explained that the machine runs intermittently to ___ energy and avoid overheating.
5.When the lights flicker intermittently, it often means there is a ___ problem.
6.He felt tired because the rain fell intermittently throughout the day, making it hard to ___ outside plans.
7.The engine started intermittently, which suggested there might be a ___ with the fuel system.