Use intermittent for a pattern that comes and goes. It fits rain, pain, outages, work, fasting, and other things that happen in separate periods.
Use intermittent for a pattern that comes and goes. It fits rain, pain, outages, work, fasting, and other things that happen in separate periods.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| The rain was intermittently all afternoon. | The rain was intermittent all afternoon. |
| The engine made a intermittent noise. | The engine made an intermittent noise. |
| The Wi-Fi worked intermittent during the storm. | The Wi-Fi worked intermittently during the storm. |
| She has an intermittent. | She has an intermittent condition. |
Use intermittent for streams, lakes, springs, or wetlands that are not permanently wet. It is more precise than dry because water returns at intervals.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| The intermittent stream is dry forever. | The intermittent stream is dry for part of the year. |
| The map labels the river intermittent because it is polluted. | The map labels the river intermittent because it does not flow year-round. |
| An intermittent lake is just a puddle. | An intermittent lake holds water during some seasons or conditions. |
| The spring is intermittent, so it never produces water. | The spring is intermittent, so it produces water only at intervals. |
Use intermittent when the breaks are part of the pattern. Use intermittently for the adverb, and use intermittence or intermittency for the noun.
Intermittently is the adverb, so a connection works intermittently but a connection is intermittent. Do not use intermittent as a noun for the pause itself.
From Latin intermittens, the present participle of intermittere, meaning to leave off, cease, or pause. English use is recorded from around 1600.
What does intermittent mean?
Intermittent means stopping and starting, or happening in separate spells rather than continuously.
Is intermittent an adjective?
Yes. Intermittent is an adjective, as in intermittent rain, intermittent pain, or intermittent outages.
Is intermittent a noun?
No in ordinary modern use. The noun forms are intermittence and intermittency.
What is the adverb of intermittent?
The adverb is intermittently, as in the signal worked intermittently.
What is an intermittent stream?
An intermittent stream flows only during part of the year or after certain conditions, such as rain or snowmelt.
What is the opposite of intermittent?
Common opposites include continuous, constant, steady, uninterrupted, and perennial for water bodies.
What are synonyms of intermittent?
Common synonyms include sporadic, irregular, occasional, periodic, fitful, recurrent, and seasonal in some contexts.
Where does intermittent come from?
Intermittent comes from Latin intermittens, from a verb meaning to leave off, cease, or pause.