Phrase guide

once in a while

adv · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

adv

Meaning 1

Occasionally; sometimes.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, not-comparable

Examples

  • I send her a note once in a while to let her know I'm thinking of her.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: 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, occasionally, on occasion, once in a while, sometimes, sporadically, uncommonly, while, whilom

Antonyms: none provided

2

adverb

Meaning 2

now and then or here and there

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he was arrogant and occasionally callous
  • open areas are only occasionally interrupted by clumps of trees
  • they visit New York on occasion
  • now and again she would take her favorite book from the shelf and read to us
  • as we drove along, the beautiful scenery now and then attracted his attention

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: occasionally, on occasion, now and then, now and again, at times, from time to time

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

39 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Azerbaijani: arabir — occasionally
  • Bulgarian: понякога (ponjakoga) — occasionally
  • Bulgarian: от време на време (ot vreme na vreme) — occasionally
  • Chinese Mandarin: 偶爾 /偶尔 (ǒu'ěr) — occasionally
  • Chinese Mandarin: 隔三差五 (gésānchàwǔ) — occasionally
  • Danish: en gang imellem — occasionally
  • Danish: indimellem — occasionally
  • Dutch: nu en dan — occasionally
  • Esperanto: de tempo al tempo — occasionally
  • Finnish: ajoittain — occasionally
  • Finnish: silloin tällöin — occasionally
  • French: de temps en temps — occasionally
  • German: ab und zu — occasionally
  • Greek: κάπου-κάπου (kápou-kápou) — occasionally
  • Greek: κάθε τόσο (káthe tóso) — occasionally
  • Greek: κατά διαστήματα (katá diastímata) — occasionally
  • Greek: πού και πού (poú kai poú) — occasionally
  • Greek: μια στο τόσο — occasionally
  • Hungarian: nagy ritkán — occasionally
  • Hungarian: nagy néha — occasionally
  • Hungarian: időnként — occasionally
  • Hungarian: olykor — occasionally
  • Hungarian: olykor-olykor — occasionally
  • Hungarian: néha — occasionally
  • Hungarian: néha-néha — occasionally
  • Hungarian: hébe-hóba — occasionally
  • Italian: di tanto in tanto — occasionally
  • Norwegian Bokmål: av og til — occasionally
  • Norwegian Bokmål: nå og da — occasionally
  • Norwegian Bokmål: i gang i mellom — occasionally
  • Ojibwe: wiikaa — occasionally
  • Plautdietsch: enjawiess — occasionally
  • Polish: raz na jakiś czas — occasionally
  • Portuguese: de vez em quando — occasionally
  • Russian: иногда́ (inogdá) — occasionally
  • Russian: вре́мя от вре́мени (vrémja ot vrémeni) — occasionally
  • Russian: поро́й (porój) — occasionally
  • Spanish: de vez en cuando — occasionally
  • Swedish: då och då — occasionally