sporadic

adjective

spə-ˈra-dik How to pronounce sporadic (audio)
Definition of sporadicnext
1
as in occasional
lacking in steadiness or regularity of occurrence sporadic loud noises kept startling everyone

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in infrequent
not often occurring or repeated so long as the complaints remain sporadic, we're doing fine

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word sporadic distinct from other similar adjectives?

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

When is it sensible to use infrequent instead of sporadic?

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

infrequent family visits

When is rare a more appropriate choice than sporadic?

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

rare first editions

Where would scarce be a reasonable alternative to sporadic?

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

When would uncommon be a good substitute for sporadic?

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

smallpox is now uncommon in many countries

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sporadic Related Articles Here, Smith talks about the history of his signature shoe and his sporadic golf game. —Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 31 Mar. 2025 These sporadic surprise appearances might just be her warming up. —Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 27 Mar. 2025 From 2018 to 2022, Goldberg made sporadic appearances, reclaiming the Universal Title in 2020. —Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 25 Mar. 2025 There were sporadic live-action adaptations in the years following that initial remake of The Jungle Book, including a stretch of movies like Maleficent and Alice in Wonderland that offered alternate, reimagined spins on classic films. —Josh Bell, Vulture, 21 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sporadic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sporadic
  1. occasional
  2. intermittent
  3. erratic
  4. sudden
  5. irregular
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
  • In general, bigleaf hydrangeas require little pruning, save for occasional shaping and thinning.
    — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2025
Definition of occasional
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
Definition of intermittent
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
Definition of erratic
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
Definition of sudden
Adjective
  • Atrial fibrillation, or A-fib, is the most common arrhythmia, characterized by an irregular and rapid heartbeat beginning in the upper chambers, or atria, of the heart.
    — Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Astrophysicists have long thought that large spiral galaxies like the Milky Way form over several billion years in a chaotic process and initially form irregular shapes.
    — Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 16 Apr. 2025
Definition of irregular

Browse Nearby Words

spoors
sporadic
sporadically
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Cite this Entry

“Sporadic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sporadic. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of sporadic for Spanish Speakers

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