episodic
Americanadjective
-
pertaining to or of the nature of an episode.
-
divided into separate or tenuously related parts or sections; loosely connected.
an episodic novel.
- Synonyms:
- digressive, wandering, rambling
-
occurring sporadically or incidentally.
adjective
-
resembling or relating to an episode
-
divided into or composed of episodes
-
irregular, occasional, or sporadic
Usage
What does episodic mean? Episodic describes things that are divided into episodes—parts or installments in a series.The word episode is perhaps most popularly used to refer to one of the parts that a TV series is divided into, as in I’ve seen every single episode of The Office. A TV show is especially described as episodic when each episode is its own standalone story, as in Showrunners are planning to make the reboot more episodic, with each episode being its own adventure. (Of course, many shows have episodes that contain a standalone story that also ties into the bigger narrative.)A more general sense of the word episode refers to a specific incident in a continuous series of events or an occurrence of a recurring event. In this way, episodic can be used to describe things that occur occasionally or at irregular intervals. Similar terms are occasional, irregular, and sporadic.Example: Epilepsy is sometimes described as an episodic disability because seizures happen at irregular intervals.
Other Word Forms
- episodically adverb
- nonepisodic adjective
- nonepisodical adjective
- nonepisodically adverb
Etymology
Origin of episodic
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.
Its episodic encores are currently airing on Fox as a lead-in to “The Faithful,” whose showrunner, René Echevarria, is an old hand at both network and cable, and whose work includes “The 4400.”
From Salon • Mar. 29, 2026
The problem, apart from perennial budget pressures, is that interest in election mechanics — a technical and arcane subject if ever there was one — is episodic and fleeting.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 22, 2026
They are producing “microdramas,” the soapy, episodic vertical-video shows that took off in China during Covid-19 lockdowns and now seem to be making inroads in the U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026
Distinct from postpartum depression and the baby blues, conditions that are pervasive and persistent, D-MER is episodic, flaring and disappearing within minutes, completely related to the act of breastfeeding.
From Slate • Mar. 15, 2026
My narrative, while willfully episodic in character—no comprehensive coverage of all events is claimed—follows a chronological line, with one significant exception.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
Definitions 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.
