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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.

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

A dry wind was already stirring when the sun rose over Pacific Palisades on Tuesday, fitful gusts whipping palm fronds seaward and making eucalyptus limbs creek and groan.

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.