erratically
Americanadverb
-
in a way that deviates from what is normal or proper.
When other employees noticed she was behaving erratically, the store installed cameras and caught her stealing pills.
-
without any definite direction or pattern; in an irregular or inconsistent way.
The cyclone moved erratically westward and southward for two days while slowly strengthening into a tropical storm.
Since I was fourteen I've kept a journal, albeit somewhat erratically at times.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of erratically
First recorded in 1610–20; erratic ( def. ) + -ally ( def. )
Explanation
If you do something erratically, you do it in an arbitrary or irregular way. Driving erratically is a good way to get pulled over by a traffic cop. A new bike rider might pedal erratically up and down the street, swerving and stopping suddenly. Or, your anxiety about getting an important grade could make you behave erratically, chewing your nails nervously one minute and laughing loudly the next. Things that are erratic are uneven or unpredictable, and the Latin root is erraticus, "wandering, straying, or roving."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A weather front will erratically move southwards during Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
Tens of thousands of people have already been evacuated from Bordeaux's surrounding region, with France's Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez saying the situation remained "very unfavourable" and the fire was "moving erratically" towards the city.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
"In Gironde, the fire became extremely intense and unpredictable again at the start of the night, generating its own winds and advancing erratically toward the Bordeaux metropolitan area," Nunez said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 26, 2026
The El Niño climate pattern materializes erratically every two to seven years and can last up to a year.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
His rhythm varied erratically and it was hard to tell if he struck a wrong note.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
