periodically

[peer-ee-od-ik-lee]

adverb

1. at irregular intervals of time; intermittently.

   Internships of various types are available periodically.

   You will need to recharge the battery periodically; the recharge interval will vary depending upon use.

2. at regular or somewhat regular intervals of time.

   By periodically—perhaps monthly—performing this test, you can quantitatively assess the impact of your training.

Other Word Forms

• nonperodically adverb
• quasi-periodically adverb
• unperiodically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of periodically¹

periodical ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

Since at least 2018, U.S. regulators have periodically expressed alarm over the possibility that the basis trade could trigger wider financial instability during market downturns.

Read more on MarketWatch

Born in Virginia, D'Angelo was something of a recluse and only periodically surfaced to release music, most of which was received favorably by fans and critics.

Read more on Barron's

Breaking the fourth wall is something Ms. Case returns to periodically, which helps make her stories feel as intimate as conversations.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

On top of it all, the president has made little progress in ending wars in Ukraine and elsewhere that have periodically upset markets.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The path fades and reappears with the seasons, showing that whoever is using it only does so periodically.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• annually 
• regularly 
• repeatedly 
• systematically