sporadic
Americanadjective
-
(of similar things or occurrences) appearing or happening at irregular intervals in time; occasional.
sporadic renewals of enthusiasm.
- Antonyms:
- continuous
-
appearing in scattered or isolated instances, as a disease.
-
isolated, as a single instance of something; being or occurring apart from others.
- Synonyms:
- unconnected, separate
-
occurring singly or widely apart in locality.
the sporadic growth of plants.
adjective
-
occurring at irregular points in time; intermittent
sporadic firing
-
scattered; isolated
a sporadic disease
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of sporadic
First recorded in 1680–90; from Medieval Latin sporadicus, from Greek sporadikós, equivalent to sporad- (stem of sporás “strewn,” akin to sporá “sowing, seed”) + -ikos adjective suffix; see spore, -ic
Explanation
Sporadic is an adjective that you can use to refer to something that happens or appears often, but not constantly or regularly. The mail carrier comes every day but the plumber's visits are sporadic — he comes as needed. A specialized use of sporadic is to describe a disease that appears only occasionally in random cases, and is therefore not an epidemic. Mostly, though, you'll hear this word used to describe anything that happens occasionally, like your family's sporadic trips to visit your distant cousins in Ohio or the sporadic bake sales your science club sponsors when it's low on funds. English borrowed the word sporadic from Greek sporadikós, "scattered."
Vocabulary lists containing sporadic
Grade 9, List 1
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The Great Gatsby
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"Simon's Saga," Vocabulary from Episode 1
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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.
The US and Iran agreed a ceasefire in April, but sporadic exchanges of fire have continued.
From BBC • May 17, 2026
The cease-fire is entering its second month and, despite sporadic violence, has now lasted almost as long as the fighting which preceded it.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026
McDonald’s is trying to rebuild its reputation as the cheapest reliable option, with what executives describe as “everyday affordable prices” rather than sporadic discounts.
From Barron's • Apr. 21, 2026
An area of cloud will move eastwards across the UK during Thursday bringing sporadic outbreaks of rain - with a mix of sunshine and showers following from the west.
From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026
Around the time I graduated, there was a sporadic renewal of communications.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
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.
