occasionally
Americanadverb
adverb
Etymology
Origin of occasionally
First recorded in 1615–25; occasional + -ly
Explanation
Something that happens occasionally doesn't happen all the time, just every once in a while. You play poker occasionally just to remind yourself that you always lose. The adverb occasionally is good for things that happen every now and then. You get tired of the cold occasionally, but the snow is lovely. Occasionally, you think of your long lost love, but never write. The idea comes to you occasionally that you should move somewhere with more people and warmer weather. I worry about you occasionally.
Vocabulary lists containing occasionally
"Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" by Joyce Carol Oates
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Excerpt from "Bad Boy"
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Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
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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.
Tyler has occasionally returned to the stage since retiring, including an appearance with Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry and rock singer Yungblud at the MTV Video Music Awards, as well as at Ozzy Osbourne’s final show.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026
Not long ago, CEOs and other senior leaders got these awards only occasionally, often as an incentive to retain favored executives or reward them for unexpected wins.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
One stick insect known for occasionally reaching plague-like population levels and stripping leaves from trees was found to represent more than one species.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 1, 2026
OpenAI in recent months has come under intense scrutiny as internal tests of its AI agents have revealed often unexpected and occasionally harmful actions, leading to more public and government fears.
From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026
So were Erma and the other Colored computers who occasionally worked with me in that department.
From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson
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.
