Teachers should occasionally let their students blow off some steam.
Source: tatoeba (19062)
Occasionally
/əˈkeɪʒənəli/
Synonyms for "occasionally" (73 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (15)
at infrequent intervalsat intervalsat odd timesat timesat various timesbetweentimesbetweenwhilesbrokenlyby catchesby fitsby jerksby skipsby snatches
Adverb(1 words)
at times
Adverb(1 words)
at times
Strong matches (22)
Noun(1 words)
de vez em quando
disconnectedlydiscontinuouslyevery so oftenfitfullyhaphazardlyhere and therein spotsinfrequentlyintermittentlyirregularly
Adverb(8 words)
ever and anonevery now and thenevery once in a whileevery so oftenfrom time to timeintermittentlyirregularlynow and again
Adverb(3 words)
Related words (36)
now and thenoccasionoff and onon divers occasionson occasiononceonce and againonly occasionallyonly when necessaryper saltumperiodicallyrandomrandomlyseldomskippinglysometimessporadicallytimeuncommonlywilly nilly
Show 1 more word
Adverb(8 words)
Adverb(6 words)
Determiner(1 words)
some days
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: at infrequent intervals, at intervals, at odd times, at times, at times.
- Sentence evidence is available for occasionally, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, wiktionary, wordnet, derived_reverse, 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 "occasionally".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "occasionally"
Keep "occasionally" 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 "occasionally" 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 "occasionally", 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 "occasionally" 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
3 entriesintermittent eventoccasional occurrencesporadic usage
Collocations
6 entriesappears occasionallydata occasionally showis occasionally citedoccasionally observedoccasionally usedoccurs occasionally
Derivations
3 entriesSample sentences
19 total sentences available.
There is a severe shortage of water in this city, so we must give up having a bath occasionally.
Source: tatoeba (57688)
Let's occasionally change where we go to eat out.
Source: tatoeba (66118)
The speaker occasionally referred to his notes.
Source: tatoeba (241160)
Showing 4 of 19 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "occasionally"?
Closest matches include at infrequent intervals, at intervals, at odd times, at times, at times.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "occasionally"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.