on-again, off-again

or on-a·gain-off-a·gain

[ on-uh-gen awf-uh-gen, of-, awn- ]

adjective

1. being in force or inoperative by turns, especially spasmodically and unpredictably:

   an on-again, off-again romance.

Word History and Origins

Origin of on-again, off-again¹

First recorded in 1945–50

Idioms and Phrases

see off and on , def. 2.