Is sporadic formal or informal?

It is mostly used to describe events, not people or objects.

How can I use sporadic in a sentence?

Use it for irregular events, patterns, or problems, not for constant ones.

What is the difference between sporadic and occasional?

It is common in academic and news writing to describe irregular events.

← Dictionary

sporadic

/spəˈræd.ɪk/

IELTSAcademic

adjective

Happening sometimes, not regular or steady; occurring in isolated bursts with long gaps in between.

The disease showed sporadic cases across the region.
We face sporadic power cuts during summer.

Adinary Nuance

Near-neighbors: Unlike regular or constant events, sporadic implies scattered, irregular timing. It differs from frequent (happening often) and rare (uncommon), fitting short bursts with long gaps rather than steady patterns.

In other languages

Spanish: Esporádico
Japanese: 間欠的な
Korean: 간헐적인
Vietnamese: Thỉnh thoảng
Chinese: 间歇的

Etymology

Not applicable.

Common phrases

sporadic casessporadic outbreakssporadic delays

Synonyms

occasional intermittent scattered uncommon rare

Frequently asked questions

Is sporadic formal or informal?: It is mostly used to describe events, not people or objects.
How can I use sporadic in a sentence?: Use it for irregular events, patterns, or problems, not for constant ones.
What is the difference between sporadic and occasional?: It is common in academic and news writing to describe irregular events.