on-again, off-again
Americanadjective
Etymology
Origin of on-again, off-again
First recorded in 1945–50
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.
Canada has been engaged in on-again, off-again trade negotiations with the US for over a year in pursuit of a deal that would see the US drop or reduce tariffs on these key sectors.
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2026
Investors still have plenty of volatility-fueling worries: the on-again, off-again war with Iran and new questions about how the Federal Reserve will fight inflation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026
And for the first time, a country hosted a World Cup participant with which it is mired in an on-again, off-again war.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026
The on-again, off-again nature of negotiations about a lasting cease-fire in the Gulf has also made calculations harder.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 9, 2026
“Erin and I left shortly after you did. Jessica stayed behind to argue with her on-again, off-again man-baby.”
From "Here to Stay" by Sara Farizan
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.
