Spasmodic

usgb/spæzˈmɑːdɪk/
adjective

Happening at irregular intervals; not continuous or steady.

Her breathing was spasmodic.
Visual representation of "spasmodic" - Happening at irregular intervals; not continuous or steady.

Often appears as...

  • spasmodic cough
  • spasmodic movements
Definition 1 of 2
Visual representation of "spasmodic"
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Non-continuous

Use 'spasmodic' to describe actions that start and stop, not flowing smoothly.

Illustration for Non-continuous
His attendance at the weekly meetings was spasmodic.
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Irregular Intervals

It's for events that occur at times that are not predictable or regular.

Illustration for Irregular Intervals
The village experienced spasmodic power outages.
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Effort or Success

When efforts or successes happen unexpectedly and not often, 'spasmodic' fits well.

Illustration for Effort or Success
His spasmodic attempts at learning the piano didn't yield much progress.
Word comparison image

Compare with

abruptionconvulsiveerraticintermittentinvoluntarysporadicsuddenuncontrolled
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Visual representation of the word "Spasmodic"

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