sporadic
spuh-RAD-ik
/spəˈrædɪk/
Occurring at irregular intervals or only in a few places; scattered or isolated.
Suggests randomness and a lack of any discernible pattern.
The story behind the word. Derived from the Greek 'spora' (seed). Think of seeds being scattered by the wind—they land in random, isolated spots without any plan.
Word relationships
- infrequent: Infrequent just means not often; sporadic adds the sense of being scattered or random.
- erratic: Erratic implies a lack of consistency that is often seen as a fault.
- frequent: Happening often and usually in a predictable way.
- steady: Happening at a constant, reliable pace.
Commonly confused with
- intermittent: Intermittent is like a blinking light; sporadic is like a light that pops on once in a while for no clear reason.
Word family
- sporadic (adjective): Occurring randomly.
- sporadically (adverb): In a sporadic manner.
Collocations
- sporadic outbreaks
- sporadic violence
- sporadic applause
- sporadic interest
Example sentences
- "Sporadic fighting continued throughout the night despite the ceasefire agreement." A news report about conflict.
- "Her attendance was sporadic, making it difficult for her to keep up with the coursework." Describing a student's effort.
Memory hook
Think of 'Spores'—fungal spores are scattered 'sporadically' by the wind. Sporadic is scattered.
When not to use
Do not use if there is a rhythmic stop-and-start; use 'intermittent' instead.
Fun facts
- The word was originally a medical term used to describe diseases that occurred only occasionally in a population, rather than as an epidemic.
Related words
Explore more words
intermittent, haphazard, idiosyncratic, synchronicity, piecemeal, skirmish
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