every now and then

Idioms  

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.

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Example Sentences

So every now and then he’d send a funny GIF to lighten the mood.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

He says he went from being a teenager who used steroid creams to manage his eczema "every now and then", to experiencing such horrific symptoms he had to drop out of university.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

“If you want to fit oversized burgers into your healthy eating plan, enjoy them every now and then, and make sure to pair them with other good choices,” she said.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 30, 2026

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.

From Salon • Nov. 1, 2025

But her eyelids fluttered every now and then, and her nodding head was stubbornly propped up on one fist.

From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood

Related Words

• every so often
• now and again
• now and then