Something that is intermittent happens occasionally rather than continuously.
After three hours of intermittent rain, the game was abandoned.
Synonyms: periodic, broken, occasional, recurring More Synonyms of intermittent
intermittentlyadverb [usually ADVERB with verb]
The talks went on intermittently for three years.
intermittent in British English
(ˌɪntəˈmɪtənt)
adjective
occurring occasionally or at regular or irregular intervals; periodic
Derived forms
intermittence (ˌinterˈmittence) or intermittency (ˌinterˈmittency)
noun
intermittently (ˌinterˈmittently)
adverb
intermittent in American English
(ˌɪntərˈmɪtənt)
adjective
stopping and starting at intervals; pausing from time to time; periodic
SYNONYMY NOTE: intermittent, recurrent both apply to something that stops and starts, or disappears and reappears, fromtime to time, but the former usually stresses the breaks or pauses, and the latter,the repetition or return [an intermittent fever, recurrent attacks of the hives]; periodic refers to something that recurs at more or less regular intervals [periodic economic crises]; alternate is usually used of two recurrent things that follow each other in regular order [a life of alternate sorrow and joy]
OPPOSITES: continued, continuous
Derived forms
intermittence (ˌinterˈmittence)
noun
intermittently (ˌinterˈmittently)
adverb
Word origin
L intermittens, prp. of intermittere: see intermit
Examples of 'intermittent' in a sentence
intermittent
Boat users in the area say that the problem has been intermittent.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
What will fill the gap and at the same time back up the intermittent wind?
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
What accounts for the intermittent nature of southern rural protest?
Shubert, Adrian A Social History of Modern Spain (1991)
Tidal electricity has another advantage over wind with its intermittent output.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Outdoor air pollution is by its very nature variable and intermittent.
Randolph, Theron G. & Moss, Ralph W. (contributor) An Alternative Approach to Allergies (1990)
The wind can be intermittent and the farms remote from the national grid.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
She added that inherently intermittent supplies from wind and solar power would be of limited use in bridging the gap.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Could this be the cause of the intermittent problem and is long-term damage likely?
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Wind power is intermittent, nuclear is costly and biodiesel steals land from agriculture.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Wind energy is intermittent and heavily reliant on back-up power generation for use when it is not blowing.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The fund manager warned that the government's move would leave the grid dependent on intermittent wind farms.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
It seems crazy to force electricity users to pay huge subsidies for intermittent, unsightly wind and solar power.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
By its nature epilepsy is intermittent and unpredictable, meaning that the person is well and normal for long periods of time.
Knowles, Jane Know Your Own Mind (1991)
The pay of US chief executives has been a source of intermittent political controversy for a decade or more.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
For intermittent sources such as wind, this has been an Achilles heel.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It can be hard to pin down the cause because of its intermittent nature, but you can at least carry outsome basic checks for yourself.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Once again it is the persistent, rather than intermittent, nature of the symptoms that warrants a closer look.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
While wind turbines look good on the posters, as Ministers conceded yesterday they are only an intermittent source of electricity.
The Sun (2009)
The Londoners were bossing proceedings from the off, albeit without finding the cutting edge that has been an intermittent problem this term.
The Sun (2014)
In other languages
intermittent
British English: intermittent ADJECTIVE
Something that is intermittent happens occasionally rather than continuously.
After three hours of intermittent rain, the game was abandoned.
American English: intermittent
Brazilian Portuguese: intermitente
Chinese: 断断续续的
European Spanish: intermitente
French: intermittent
German: in Abständen auftretend
Italian: intermittente
Japanese: 断続的な
Korean: 간헐적인
European Portuguese: intermitente
Latin American Spanish: intermitente
(adjective)
Definition
occurring at intervals
After three hours of intermittent rain, the game was abandoned.
Synonyms
periodic
Periodic checks are made to ensure quality.
broken
nights of broken sleep
occasional
I still get the occasional nightmare about the accident.
recurring
irregular
She was suffering from an irregular heartbeat.
punctuated
sporadic
The sound of sporadic thunder could still be heard.
recurrent
buildings in which staff suffer recurrent illness
stop-go (informal)
fitful
He drifted off into a fitful sleep.
spasmodic
My husband's work was so spasmodic.
discontinuous
the discontinuous nature of the country's economic development
Opposites
steady
,
continuous
,
unceasing
Additional synonyms
in the sense of broken
Definition
interrupted
nights of broken sleep
Synonyms
interrupted,
disturbed,
incomplete,
erratic,
disconnected,
intermittent,
fragmentary,
spasmodic,
discontinuous
in the sense of discontinuous
Definition
characterized by interruptions
the discontinuous nature of the country's economic development
Synonyms
intermittent,
interrupted,
irregular,
disconnected,
broken,
fitful,
spasmodic
in the sense of fitful
Definition
occurring in irregular spells
He drifted off into a fitful sleep.
Synonyms
irregular,
broken,
disturbed,
erratic,
variable,
flickering,
unstable,
uneven,
fluctuating,
sporadic,
intermittent,
impulsive,
haphazard,
desultory,
spasmodic,
inconstant
Synonyms of 'intermittent'
intermittent
Explore 'intermittent' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of irregular
Definition
not occurring at expected or equal intervals
She was suffering from an irregular heartbeat.
Synonyms
variable,
inconsistent,
erratic,
shifting,
occasional,
random,
casual,
shaky,
wavering,
uneven,
fluctuating,
eccentric,
patchy,
sporadic,
intermittent,
haphazard,
unsteady,
desultory,
fitful,
spasmodic,
unsystematic,
inconstant,
nonuniform,
unmethodical,
scattershot
in the sense of occasional
Definition
happening from time to time
I still get the occasional nightmare about the accident.
Synonyms
infrequent,
odd,
rare,
casual,
irregular,
sporadic,
intermittent,
few and far between,
desultory,
periodic
in the sense of recurrent
buildings in which staff suffer recurrent illness
Synonyms
periodic,
continued,
regular,
repeated,
frequent,
recurring,
repetitive,
cyclical,
habitual
in the sense of spasmodic
Definition
taking place in sudden short spells
My husband's work was so spasmodic.
Synonyms
sporadic,
irregular,
erratic,
intermittent,
jerky,
fitful,
convulsive
in the sense of sporadic
Definition
happening at irregular intervals
The sound of sporadic thunder could still be heard.