on-off
Britishadjective
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(of an electrical switch, button, etc) having an `on' position and an `off' position
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existing at times and not at others; discontinuous
an on-off relationship
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.
In other words, an individual human cortical neuron is much more than a basic "on-off" component.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 13, 2026
Mali's separatists and Islamists groups have had an on-off relationship for years - going back to 2012 when the ethnic Tuareg separatist rebellion was hijacked by Islamist militants.
From BBC ● Apr. 28, 2026
The bloc signed a sweeping trade deal with Australia earlier this week, and in January announced a landmark trade deal with India after nearly two decades of on-off talks.
From BBC ● Mar. 26, 2026
The escalation followed months of closed-door, on-off negotiations between the university and the White House.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 4, 2026
Then she turned the channel and tried the on-off button again.
From "The Wednesday Wars" by Gary D. Schmidt
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.
