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Synonyms

on-off

British  

adjective

  1. (of an electrical switch, button, etc) having an `on' position and an `off' position

  2. existing at times and not at others; discontinuous

    an on-off relationship

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The escalation followed months of closed-door, on-off negotiations between the university and the White House.

From The Wall Street Journal

It was a real on-off saga but eventually went through as the seconds ticked down.

From BBC

The announcement comes less than a week after India and the European Union announced a landmark trade deal that capped nearly two decades of on-off talks.

From BBC

Rybakina had wanted to bring her on-off Croatian coach Stefano Vukov back into her team for the Melbourne major.

From Barron's

The European Union and India are set to announce a landmark trade deal after nearly two decades of on-off talks, as both sides aim to deepen ties amid tensions with the US.

From BBC