Word
occasionally
Phoneticsoc·ca·sion·al·ly, stress on the second syllable
US/əˈkeɪʒənəɫi/
UK/əkˈeɪʒənəli/
日本語たまに※
Adverb of frequency
Definition
adv. sometimes, but not regularly or frequently.
adv. at relatively infrequent or irregular intervals; from time to time.
Examples
“I occasionally walk to work when the weather is nice.”
“We occasionally meet for coffee on Saturday mornings, though we don't have a fixed schedule.”
“While the software is generally stable, users may occasionally encounter minor graphical glitches when running multiple high-demand applications simultaneously.”
Examples
simple
“I occasionally walk to work when the weather is nice.”
contextual
“We occasionally meet for coffee on Saturday mornings, though we don't have a fixed schedule.”
complex
“While the software is generally stable, users may occasionally encounter minor graphical glitches when running multiple high-demand applications simultaneously.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “occasionally” in context.
Verb
01. occasionally feel a bit lonely
“Even though she has many friends, she occasionally feels a bit lonely in the evenings.”
adv + verb + adj
02. occasionally occur in winter
“Heavy snowstorms occasionally occur in winter, but they are quite rare in this region.”
adv + verb + prep + noun
03. occasionally travel for work
“He occasionally travels for work, though he spends most of his time in the head office.”
adv + verb + prep + noun
04. occasionally visit the gallery
“We occasionally visit the gallery to see the new exhibitions.”
adv + verb + noun
Adjective
05. occasionally difficult to understand
“His lectures are brilliant, though they are occasionally difficult to understand.”
adv + adj + infinitive
06. occasionally useful information
“The manual contains some occasionally useful information for advanced users.”
adv + adj + noun
Usage
As a frequency adverb, it can be placed before the main verb, at the beginning of a sentence, or at the very end.
Teaching tip
Learners often confuse this with 'sometimes'. Explain that 'occasionally' suggests a lower frequency than 'sometimes' and feels slightly more formal.
Pitfall
I occasionally go to the gym.
I go to the gym occasionally.
While both are correct, placing 'occasionally' at the end of the sentence is very common for emphasis. Avoid putting it between a verb and its object.
Real-World Examples
“Subtitled Sects, Trance and Rock’n’Roll, this good-natured, funny and occasionally rousing documentary portrait details them all.” “Adelheid is obsessed with the matchboxes of the title, which she is constantly studying, ordering and occasionally discarding.” “The answer comes in this chaotic, heavy-handed, self-indulgent, occasionally funny, zero-budget documentary, shot entirely in Six’s Amsterdam apartment – a lo-fi rant that he is uploading online on a pay-what-you-want basis.” Etymology
From Middle English occasionally, occasionaly, occasyoneely, occasyonly, equivalent to occasional + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word family
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/occasionally
※ 機械で選んだ訳語です。ネイティブスピーカーによる確認はまだです。
「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0