sporadic

adjective

spo·rad·ic spə-ˈra-dik How to pronounce sporadic (audio)

: occurring occasionally, singly, or in irregular or random instances

sporadic protests

a sporadic disease

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Sporadic Has Medieval Latin Roots

Sporadic describes the distribution of something across space or time that is not frequent enough to fill an area or period, often in scattered instances or isolated outbursts (as in "sporadic applause"). The word comes from Medieval Latin sporadicus, which is itself derived from Greek sporadēn, meaning "here and there." It is also related to the Greek verb speirein ("to sow"), the ancestor from which we get our word spore (the reproductive cell of a fungus, microorganism, or some plants), hinting at the seeming scattered nature by which such cells spread and germinate.

Example Sentences

The law was indeed tightened, prohibiting the employment of illegal aliens on the valid assumption that removing the magnet of jobs is necessary to stem illegal immigration. But enforcement was sporadic at best, and has now virtually ceased.

Mark Krikorian, National Review, 26 Jan. 2004 I left Madras twenty years ago. Two marriages and three children later I am a different man from the one who left. My return visits have been sporadic. But there is great delight in a homecoming.

Abraham Verghese, Atlantic, February 2001 The Bronx begins here physically, and it began here historically as well; this was the site of Jonas Bronck's farmhouse. Not much is known about him: he was a Swedish sea captain who was induced to settle the area by the Dutch West India Company. A peace treaty signed at Bronck's house ended years of sporadic but bloody skirmishes between the Dutch and the Weckquasgeeks.

Marcus Laffey, New Yorker, 15 May 2000 Sporadic cases of the disease were reported. sporadic loud noises kept startling everyone

Recent Examples on the Web Rylee broke his phone in Jordan, so contact with home was sporadic.

Megan Myers, Fox News, 28 Aug. 2022 With no rain to be expected, skies will be mostly sunny with a few sporadic clouds.

Liset Cruz, ajc, 28 May 2022 In 2001, California faced an extended energy crisis when a state electricity-deregulation law resulted in frequent power shortages, sporadic blackouts, astronomical wholesale prices and market manipulation.

Jennifer Hiller, WSJ, 5 Sep. 2022 Even amid a late New York jaunt, Maggie – group alpha, as sporadic childhood flashbacks underline – can be seen struggling with the fact that erstwhile fledgling Birdy is outgrowing her in life and love.

Mike Mccahill, Variety, 30 Aug. 2022 Arizona has a 10-6 lead in a sporadic series with SDSU that traces back to an 8-0 Aztecs victory in 1931 at Arizona Stadium.

San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Aug. 2022 During sporadic trips back to Canada, Worthy met with fellow Vancouverite Sean House, gradually finishing the songs that would wind up on their debut as LND DRGS.

Max Bell, SPIN, 30 Aug. 2022 There is a 40 percent chance of favorable weather conditions on Saturday, with sporadic showers in the forecast.

Catherine Garcia, The Week, 29 Aug. 2022 The plant has come under sporadic shelling since early August, although the extent of the damage remains unclear.

Andrew E. Kramer, BostonGlobe.com, 29 Aug. 2022 See More

sporadic

adjective

as in occasional

lacking in steadiness or regularity of occurrence sporadic loud noises kept startling everyone

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

occasional
intermittent
erratic
irregular
sudden
spasmodic
casual
unpredictable
discontinuous
violent
unsteady
episodic
spastic
fitful
spotty
episodical
aperiodic
volatile
scattered
random
choppy
haphazard
interrupted
varying
changing
fragmentary
catchy
odd
changeful
disconnected
aimless
unstable
broken
desultory
convulsive
slapdash
uncertain
unsettled
fluctuating
stray
hit-and-miss
arbitrary
hit-or-miss
capricious
inconstant
variable
wavering
temperamental
mercurial
mutable
fluid
changeable
fickle
flickery

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

continuous
constant
periodic
regular
steady
habitual
stable
repeated
systematic
uniform
stationary
even
unchanging
methodical
equable
unrelenting
unvarying
changeless
orderly
unremitting
unwavering
methodic

as in infrequent

not often occurring or repeated so long as the complaints remain sporadic, we're doing fine

Synonyms & Similar Words

occasional
infrequent
odd
isolated
rare
unusual
uncommon
scattered
intermittent
scarce
few and far between
discontinuous
spasmodic
fitful
irregular
unique
spotty
erratic
choppy
unsteady

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

frequent
regular
daily
common
ordinary
routine

Synonym Chooser

Some common synonyms of sporadic are infrequent, rare, scarce, and uncommon. While all these words mean "not common or abundant," sporadic implies occurrence in scattered instances or isolated outbursts.

sporadic cases of influenza

Although the words infrequent and sporadic have much in common, infrequent implies occurrence at wide intervals in space or time.

infrequent family visits

The meanings of rare and sporadic largely overlap; however, rare suggests extreme scarcity or infrequency and often implies consequent high value.

rare first editions

While the synonyms scarce and sporadic are close in meaning, scarce implies falling short of a standard or required abundance.

jobs were scarce during the Depression

The synonyms uncommon and sporadic are sometimes interchangeable, but uncommon suggests a frequency below normal expectation.

smallpox is now uncommon in many countries

单词	sporadic
释义	sporadic adjective spo·rad·ic spə-ˈra-dik : occurring occasionally, singly, or in irregular or random instances sporadic protests a sporadic disease Did you know? Sporadic Has Medieval Latin Roots Sporadic describes the distribution of something across space or time that is not frequent enough to fill an area or period, often in scattered instances or isolated outbursts (as in "sporadic applause"). The word comes from Medieval Latin sporadicus, which is itself derived from Greek sporadēn, meaning "here and there." It is also related to the Greek verb speirein ("to sow"), the ancestor from which we get our word spore (the reproductive cell of a fungus, microorganism, or some plants), hinting at the seeming scattered nature by which such cells spread and germinate. Synonyms aperiodic casual catchy choppy discontinuous episodic episodical erratic fitful intermittent irregular occasional spasmodic spastic spotty unsteady See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences The law was indeed tightened, prohibiting the employment of illegal aliens on the valid assumption that removing the magnet of jobs is necessary to stem illegal immigration. But enforcement was sporadic at best, and has now virtually ceased. Mark Krikorian, National Review, 26 Jan. 2004 I left Madras twenty years ago. Two marriages and three children later I am a different man from the one who left. My return visits have been sporadic. But there is great delight in a homecoming. Abraham Verghese, Atlantic, February 2001 The Bronx begins here physically, and it began here historically as well; this was the site of Jonas Bronck's farmhouse. Not much is known about him: he was a Swedish sea captain who was induced to settle the area by the Dutch West India Company. A peace treaty signed at Bronck's house ended years of sporadic but bloody skirmishes between the Dutch and the Weckquasgeeks. Marcus Laffey, New Yorker, 15 May 2000 Sporadic cases of the disease were reported. sporadic loud noises kept startling everyone Recent Examples on the Web Rylee broke his phone in Jordan, so contact with home was sporadic. Megan Myers, Fox News, 28 Aug. 2022 With no rain to be expected, skies will be mostly sunny with a few sporadic clouds. Liset Cruz, ajc, 28 May 2022 In 2001, California faced an extended energy crisis when a state electricity-deregulation law resulted in frequent power shortages, sporadic blackouts, astronomical wholesale prices and market manipulation. Jennifer Hiller, WSJ, 5 Sep. 2022 Even amid a late New York jaunt, Maggie – group alpha, as sporadic childhood flashbacks underline – can be seen struggling with the fact that erstwhile fledgling Birdy is outgrowing her in life and love. Mike Mccahill, Variety, 30 Aug. 2022 Arizona has a 10-6 lead in a sporadic series with SDSU that traces back to an 8-0 Aztecs victory in 1931 at Arizona Stadium. San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Aug. 2022 During sporadic trips back to Canada, Worthy met with fellow Vancouverite Sean House, gradually finishing the songs that would wind up on their debut as LND DRGS. Max Bell, SPIN, 30 Aug. 2022 There is a 40 percent chance of favorable weather conditions on Saturday, with sporadic showers in the forecast. Catherine Garcia, The Week, 29 Aug. 2022 The plant has come under sporadic shelling since early August, although the extent of the damage remains unclear. Andrew E. Kramer, BostonGlobe.com, 29 Aug. 2022 See More Word History Etymology Medieval Latin sporadicus, from Greek sporadikos, from sporadēn here and there, from sporad-, sporas scattered; akin to Greek speirein to sow — more at sperm First Known Use circa 1689, in the meaning defined above Phrases Containing sporadic sporadic E layer sporadic E layer Medical Definition sporadic adjective spo·rad·ic spə-ˈrad-ik 1 : occurring occasionally, singly, or in scattered instances sporadic diseases compare endemic, epidemic sense 1 2 : arising or occurring randomly with no known cause sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease sporadic adjective 1 as in occasional lacking in steadiness or regularity of occurrence sporadic loud noises kept startling everyone Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance occasional intermittent erratic irregular sudden spasmodic casual unpredictable discontinuous violent unsteady episodic spastic fitful spotty episodical aperiodic volatile scattered random choppy haphazard interrupted varying changing fragmentary catchy odd changeful disconnected aimless unstable broken desultory convulsive slapdash uncertain unsettled fluctuating stray hit-and-miss arbitrary hit-or-miss capricious inconstant variable wavering temperamental mercurial mutable fluid changeable fickle flickery Antonyms & Near Antonyms continuous constant periodic regular steady habitual stable repeated systematic uniform stationary even unchanging methodical equable unrelenting unvarying changeless orderly unremitting unwavering methodic See More 2 as in infrequent not often occurring or repeated so long as the complaints remain sporadic, we're doing fine Synonyms & Similar Words occasional infrequent odd isolated rare unusual uncommon scattered intermittent scarce few and far between discontinuous spasmodic fitful irregular unique spotty erratic choppy unsteady Antonyms & Near Antonyms frequent regular daily common ordinary routine Synonym Chooser Some common synonyms of sporadic are infrequent, rare, scarce, and uncommon. While all these words mean "not common or abundant," sporadic implies occurrence in scattered instances or isolated outbursts. sporadic cases of influenza Although the words infrequent and sporadic have much in common, infrequent implies occurrence at wide intervals in space or time. infrequent family visits The meanings of rare and sporadic largely overlap; however, rare suggests extreme scarcity or infrequency and often implies consequent high value. rare first editions While the synonyms scarce and sporadic are close in meaning, scarce implies falling short of a standard or required abundance. jobs were scarce during the Depression The synonyms uncommon and sporadic are sometimes interchangeable, but uncommon suggests a frequency below normal expectation. smallpox is now uncommon in many countries
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sporadic

adjective

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing sporadic

Medical Definition

adjective

adjective

Synonym Chooser