occasionally
uh-KAY-zhuh-nuh-lee
Occasionally (adv) means Now and then; sometimes, but not often. Example: “We occasionally go for a walk along the river.”
adv
1
Now and then; sometimes, but not often.
"We occasionally go for a walk along the river."
"He occasionally forgets to lock the door."
"My sister occasionally sends me a postcard from her travels."
How to use occasionally
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSometimes, but not regularly.
Common pairings
only occasionally
occasionally used
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more occasionally
- Superlative
- most occasionally
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Can you complete this real example?
We _____ go for a walk along the river.
Etymology
Comes from Middle English occasionally (also spelt occasionaly, occasyoneely, occasyonly), equivalent to occasional plus -ly.
Synonyms
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periodically
infrequently
at times
ever and anon
every once in a while
every now and then
every so often
from time to time
intermittently
irregularly
now and again
now and then
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for occasionally
See all rhymes for occasionally →Frequently asked questions
What does “occasionally” mean?
The word “occasionally” means now and then; sometimes, but not often. In plain terms, sometimes, but not regularly.
How do you pronounce “occasionally”?
“Occasionally” is pronounced uh-KAY-zhuh-nuh-lee (/əˈkeɪʒənəli/ in IPA).
How do you use “occasionally” in a sentence?
Here is “occasionally” used in a sentence: “We occasionally go for a walk along the river.”
What is another word for “occasionally”?
Words with a similar meaning to “occasionally” include at times, ever and anon, every once in a while, every now and then, every so often and from time to time.
What is the opposite of “occasionally”?
The opposite of “occasionally” — its antonyms — are usually and rarely.
What part of speech is “occasionally”?
“Occasionally” is an adverb.
Is “occasionally” a common word?
“Occasionally” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between occasionally and sometimes?
Both mean not always, but "occasionally" sits lower on the frequency scale, suggesting now and then rather than with any regularity. A rough ordering runs: always, usually, often, sometimes, occasionally, rarely, never. "I sometimes cook" implies more frequency than "I occasionally cook."
What is the difference between occasionally and rarely?
"Occasionally" is neutral and simply means now and then, without judgment about how little that is. "Rarely" is stronger and emphasises that something almost never happens. Saying you occasionally eat out sounds ordinary; saying you rarely eat out stresses how uncommon it is.
Where does occasionally go in a sentence?
Like most frequency adverbs, "occasionally" usually sits in mid-position, before the main verb: "I occasionally walk to work." Unlike stricter frequency adverbs such as "always," it also moves comfortably to the start or end of a sentence: "Occasionally, we go camping" or "We go camping occasionally."
How do you spell occasionally correctly?
The correct spelling is o-c-c-a-s-i-o-n-a-l-l-y: double c, a single s, and double l. Common misspellings include "ocasionally" (missing a c) and "occassionally" (doubling the s), so the rule of thumb is two c's, one s.
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