as in sporadic
lacking in steadiness or regularity of occurrence
a night of fitful sleep did not leave me feeling well rested the next morning
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fitful
These factors occur against the backdrop of fitful wage growth and climbing inflation, with everyday prices for housing, energy and groceries bedeviling Americans.
—
Nicole Fallert, USA TODAY, 28 Feb. 2025
This is just the beginning of what will likely be a fitful path for transgender travelers.
—Laura Dannen Redman, AFAR Media, 6 Feb. 2025
The subway’s recovery from the pandemic has been fitful, a tale of stops and starts.
—Keith Gessen, The New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2025
Some of those effects include— Chronic fatigue and sleep disorders, including difficulty falling asleep, fitful sleep, poor sleep quality.
—Marie Bladt, Vogue, 22 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fitful
Nicole Fallert, USA TODAY, 28 Feb. 2025
This is just the beginning of what will likely be a fitful path for transgender travelers.
—Laura Dannen Redman, AFAR Media, 6 Feb. 2025
The subway’s recovery from the pandemic has been fitful, a tale of stops and starts.
—Keith Gessen, The New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2025
Some of those effects include— Chronic fatigue and sleep disorders, including difficulty falling asleep, fitful sleep, poor sleep quality.
—Marie Bladt, Vogue, 22 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fitful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fitful
Adjective
-
During her active years with WWE, which spanned from 2006 to her initial departure in 2012 and included subsequent sporadic returns for special appearances, Kelly Kelly achieved a significant milestone by capturing the WWE Divas Championship.—
Gordon G. Chang,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Apr. 2025
-
These societies could survive without the sporadic acquisition of meat, anthropologists note.—
Amanda Ruggeri,
Time,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The house that the Americans strategically position themselves in is home to two families; there are occasional insert shots of family photos and trinkets, and at several points these families are shown cowering, terrified by what’s happening around them.—
Paul A. Thompson,
Pitchfork,
17 Apr. 2025
-
Burnout goes beyond the occasional tough day at work.—
Jack Kelly,
Forbes.com,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
During intermittent periods for minutes at a time, the NYPD and MTAPD strategically closed certain doors temporarily out of the hundreds of doors throughout the terminal to prevent additional demonstrators from entering.—
Rachel Wolf,
FOXNews.com,
9 Apr. 2025
-
Invisible geckos belt out intermittent clicks from the foliage, as brown pelicans sweep lazily across the sky, patrolling the shoreline for their daily fill.—
Ashlee Marie Preston,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Several conditions may cause sudden vision loss, such as an eye injury.—
Heidi Cope,
Health,
19 Apr. 2025
-
All of a sudden, something that was a huge source of joy in my grandparents’ life became a challenge.—
Katie Akin,
Southern Living,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The cuts would devastate weather and climate research as weather is becoming more erratic, extreme and costly.—
Ella Nilsen,
CNN Money,
11 Apr. 2025
-
Wall Street has been in an erratic yo-yo pattern since Donald Trump announced, held off, implemented, augmented, and paused worldwide tariffs.—
Lieke ten Brummelhuis,
Forbes.com,
10 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fitful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fitful. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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