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.
Since then, modern presidents have occasionally found themselves at odds with the Vatican.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026
While it's not unusual for legislators to occasionally defect in Canadian politics, the recent rate of party-switching was "extraordinary", said Semra Sevi, who teaches political science at the University of Toronto.
From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026
Even the most privileged among us occasionally find ourselves adrift and ill-equipped to deal with our own capsized lives.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026
About 90% of advisory firms say that they occasionally or regularly waive their minimum asset requirements.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026
Danso sets the table for nine, occasionally checking napkin positioning and straightening utensils.
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
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.
