every now and then

1. Also, every now and again; every once in a while; every so often. Occasionally, from time to time; also, periodically. For example, Every now and then I long for a piece of chocolate, or We take long walks every now and again, or Every once in a while he'll call, or Every so often she washes the car. The first term dates from the first half of the 1700s, the last from the mid-1900s. Also see from time to time; once in a while.

Example Sentences

It’s OK to throw some blitz packages at the opposing QBs every now and then.

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Cassiopeia could not resist giving it a push every now and then, so she could listen to the way the skaweeking slowed and faded as the crib stopped moving.

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“But the children must finish their chores. As Agatha Swanburne said, ‘This and that left here and there means a trip and a fall every now and then.’”

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But this was entertainment of a different stripe altogether, for on top of all the other delights unfolding on the stage, every now and then the pirates burst into song.

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While I still experiment with la grande cuisine, as Julia Child invited us to do every now and then, on those rare weekend occasions I cook for two or three, not 10 or more.

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Related Words

• every so often 
• now and again 
• now and then www.thesaurus.com