We had to lessen the impact of the erratic supplies.
Source: tatoeba (797159)
Erratic
/ɪˈɹætɪk/
Synonyms for "erratic" (389 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (78)
aberrantaberrativeabnormaladriftafloatagnosticaimlessalternatingambiguousamorphousanomalisticanomalousarbitrarybizarrebrokencapriciouscareeningcasualcatchychancy
Show 43 more words
changeablechangefulchangingcharacterchoppycircuitouscrackpotcrankcrankishcrankycrazycrotchetycuriouscurvingdepartingdesultorydeviabledeviantdeviatingdeviativedeviatorydeviousdiceydifferentdigressivedirectionlessdisarticulateddisconnecteddiscontinuousdiscursivedisjunctdisordereddisorderlydisperseddisproportionatedivagatorydivaricatedivergentdiversifieddiversiformdizzydottydoubtful
Adjective(14 words)
annual irregularbehavioral inconsistencybumpiestcapriciouschaotic approachchaotic dynamicschaotic environmentschaotic methodchaotic processchaotic routinechaotic servicechaotic societydisordered studydisorganized routine
Noun(1 words)
chaotic arrangement
Strong matches (117)
doubtingdubiouseccentricequivocaleroseerrantexceptionalexcursiveextraordinaryfantasticfast and loosefeyficklefitfulflakeflakyflickeringflightyflittingfluctuant
Show 54 more words
fluctuatingfoolishformlessfreakfreakishfrivolousfunnygiddygratuitousgutteringhaltinghaphazardherky-jerkyhesitanthesitatingheterocliteheteromorphichit-or-missidiocraticidiosyncraticiffyimmethodicalimpetuousimpulsiveincalculableinchoateincoherentinconsistentinconstantindecisiveindemonstrableindirectindiscriminateinfirmintermittentintermittingirregularirresoluteirresponsiblejaggedjerkykinkykookkookylabyrinthinelurchingmaggotymazymeanderingmeaninglessmercurialmisshapenmoodymotley
Noun(8 words)
Adjective(29 words)
extreme weather variabilityficklefluctuating outputflukeyflukyhabitual inconsistencyhaphazard efforthaphazard methodhigh unpredictabilityinconsistentinconsistent behaviorinconsistent conductinconsistent issueinconsistent pacinginconsistent resultsinconsistent routinesinconsistent specificationsintermittent productionirregularirregular day
Related words (194)
mutablenonconformistnonstandardnonsymmetricalnonsystematicnonuniformnutnuttyoddoddballorderlessout-of-the-wayoutlandishpatchypeculiarplanetaryplanlesspluralisticpolysemouspromiscuous
Show 122 more words
quaintqueerquirkyraggedramblingrandomrecluserestlessroughroundaboutrovingscatterbrainedscrappyscrewballscrewysenselessserpentineshapelessshiftingshiftyshufflingsingularskepticalsnakysnatchyspasmaticspasmicspasmodicspasticspinelesssporadicspottystaggeringstragglingstragglystrangestrange duckstraystrayingsubnormalswervingsystemlesstouch-and-goturningtwistedtwistingunaccountableunarrangeduncertainunclassifiedunconfirmableuncontrolledunconventionalunconvinceduncouthundependableundirectedundisciplinedundivinableunequableunequalunevenunfixedunforeseeableungradedunjoinedunmethodicalunmetricalunnaturalunorderedunorganizedunorthodoxunpersuadedunpredictableunprovableunregularunreliableunrestrainedunrhythmicalunsettledunsortedunstableunstable as waterunstaidunsteadfastunsteadyunsureunsymmetricalunsystematicununiformunusualunverifiablevacillatevacillatingvagariousvagrantvaguevariablevariegatedvariformvariousvaryingveeringvicissitudinaryvicissitudinousvolatilewackywanderingwantonwaveringwaverywavywaywardweirdweirdowhimsicalwindingwishy washywishy-washywobblingwobblyzigzag
Noun(9 words)
Adjective(42 words)
offbeatplanetaryquick-changingquicksilverrandom activityrandom fluctuationrandom languagerandom motionrandom resultrandom text samplerandom weatherscattered attentionspikiersporadic interruptionssporadic recordstreakyswingytemperamentaluncertainuncontrolled hormone effect
Show 22 more words
uneven crop schedulingunpatterned behaviorunpredictableunpredictable conductunpredictable outcomesunpredictiveunreliable datasetunreliable memoryunrhythmicunstable influenceunstable structureunstable systemunsteadiestunsteadyunsystematic notesvaryingwanderingwavering notewild throwwobbliestwonkierwonky
Verb(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: aberrant, aberrative, abnormal, adrift, afloat.
- Sentence evidence is available for erratic, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, derived_reverse, opengloss, wordnet, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "erratic".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "erratic"
Keep "erratic" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "erratic" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "erratic", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "erratic" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
3 entriesMore specific
6 entrieserratic attendanceerratic performanceerratic test resultsirregular schedulesporadic movementunsteady pace
Collocations
6 entrieserratic behaviorerratic drivingerratic handwritingerratic paceerratic scheduleerratic weather
Inflections
2 entriesmore erraticmost erratic
Derivations
2 entriessimilar
5 entriesSample sentences
15 total sentences available.
Police are searching for an erratic driver believed to be involved in a fatal hit and run.
Source: tatoeba (3020236)
After he was released from the psychiatric hospital, Dan continued to suffer severe mood swings and erratic behavior.
Source: tatoeba (4028818)
Dan began an erratic sexual relationship with his youngest aunt, Linda.
Source: tatoeba (4028841)
Showing 4 of 15 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "erratic"?
Closest matches include aberrant, aberrative, abnormal, adrift, afloat.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "erratic"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.