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Definitions

once in a while

ADVERB
occasionally
Synonyms
WEAK
at intervals at times every now and then every so often from time to time hardly infrequently irregularly now and again on occasion once in a blue moon periodically rarely seldom sometimes sporadically

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.

But every once in a while, we get a little wink, an ounce of good luck, an unearned gift, a happy accident, and this recipe falls in that category.

From Salon • Apr. 13, 2026

Every once in a while, we review our past stock picks.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

We needed to be on the right side of things once in a while.

From BBC • Feb. 22, 2026

“We expect things like this to occur once in a while due to the volume of tests.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 27, 2025

Every once in a while a girl will come back from summer vacation, and she’s not just a little different, a little better—she’s, like, Whoa!

From "Crash" by Jerry Spinelli