as in sporadic
lacking in steadiness or regularity of occurrence
a night of fitful sleep did not leave me feeling well rested the next morning
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Recent Examples of fitful
Some of those effects include— Chronic fatigue and sleep disorders, including difficulty falling asleep, fitful sleep, poor sleep quality.
—
Marie Bladt, Vogue, 22 Jan. 2025
Her power would return at 4 a.m., ending the fitful night.
—Richard Ruelas, USA TODAY, 10 Sep. 2024
By Jack Flemming , Summer Lin, Hannah Fry and Ian James
Jan. 8, 2025 3 PM PT
A dry wind was already stirring when the sun rose over Pacific Palisades on Tuesday, fitful gusts whipping palm fronds seaward and making eucalyptus limbs creek and groan.
—Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2025
Pyongyang began taking fitful steps toward a nuclear weapon during the Cold War, tested its first bomb in 2006, and today regularly issues nuclear threats against its southern neighbor.
—Robert E. Kelly, Foreign Affairs, 30 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for fitful
Marie Bladt, Vogue, 22 Jan. 2025
Her power would return at 4 a.m., ending the fitful night.
—Richard Ruelas, USA TODAY, 10 Sep. 2024
By Jack Flemming , Summer Lin, Hannah Fry and Ian James
Jan. 8, 2025 3 PM PT
A dry wind was already stirring when the sun rose over Pacific Palisades on Tuesday, fitful gusts whipping palm fronds seaward and making eucalyptus limbs creek and groan.
—Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2025
Pyongyang began taking fitful steps toward a nuclear weapon during the Cold War, tested its first bomb in 2006, and today regularly issues nuclear threats against its southern neighbor.
—Robert E. Kelly, Foreign Affairs, 30 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for fitful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fitful
Adjective
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Over the previous few weeks, the defenseman’s playing time was sporadic, scratched for five of seven games.—
Phil Thompson,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2025
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In the past, such events were sporadic, occurring once every four or five years.—
Susanne Rust,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Changing Preference For Lab-Grown Diamond Jewelry In the case of jewelry purchases, those needs are primarily around milestone life events, holiday and occasional gifting.—
Pamela N. Danziger,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
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This year, the star has teased new music, sharing occasional studio photos on Instagram.—
Mitchell Peters,
Billboard,
22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Roughly 164 were returned to non-pay intermittent status, while the rest were returned to paid administrative leave.—
Ashley Murray,
Baltimore Sun,
19 Mar. 2025
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The 2025 season opener in Australia was an intense race for all F1 teams considering the intermittent rainfall that led them to shift tire strategies according to the varying conditions.—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
16 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Brett Gardner and his wife Jessica announced on Sunday that their son Miller had died after a sudden illness while on vacation.—
Ana Melgar Zuniga and Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2025
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At least one state public health official is worried that the sudden loss in funding will hurt their state’s grasp of the virus.—
Ross O'Keefe,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The two-track body of work boasts snakey slithering synths, explosive drops, effervescent sounds, hard-hitting tunes, hypnotic soundscapes and erratic beats that build up into a crescendo followed by techno designed to ignite the dance floor.—
Lisa Kocay,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
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How Abnormal Bleeding Could Lead to Fatigue Shifting hormone levels during perimenopause can cause menstrual cycles to become erratic, sometimes causing heavier and longer periods.—
Julia Ries,
Health,
19 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fitful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fitful. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.
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