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fitful

American  
[fit-fuhl] / ˈfɪt fəl /

adjective

  1. coming, appearing, acting, etc., in fits fit or by spells; recurring irregularly.

    Synonyms:
    haphazard, erratic, intermittent, sporadic
fitful British  
/ ˈfɪtfʊl /

adjective

  1. characterized by or occurring in irregular spells

    fitful sleep
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • fitfully adverb
  • fitfulness noun

Etymology

Origin of fitful

First recorded in 1595–1605; fit 2 + -ful

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.

No other Victorian poet could have brought off such a fitful and obsessive work; no one else could have sustained such music and emotion for more than 100 pages.

From The Wall Street Journal

On the morning of a school field trip, Danny woke from a fitful dream.

From Literature

Sánchez tried to get some sleep, but it was a fitful rest.

From Los Angeles Times

We dressed for the day, then returned to bed for a couple of hours of fitful sleep, ready to go when we needed to.

From Los Angeles Times

We dressed for the day, then returned to bed for a couple hours of fitful sleep, ready to go when we needed to.

From Los Angeles Times

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.