intermittently available

USAGE SUMMARY

"intermittently available" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It means that something is available at irregular intervals or for limited periods of time. You can use this phrase when describing a product or service that is not always accessible or in stock. For example: "The new video game console was intermittently available due to high demand."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

21 human-written examples

We considered blood transfusion services to be continuously available when the hospital had a blood bank, and intermittently available when blood was provided by family members or through a list of blood donors.

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

Water, too, has been only intermittently available.

The New Yorker

Based on intermittently available relative state information of neighboring sensors, a distributed tracking control method is proposed for the MSNs.

Journal of the Franklin Institute

One local speciality intermittently available are the undang galah, huge tiger prawns usually steamed and covered in a light hot sauce.

The New York Times - Travel

I know I will indeed quit writing before I put live humans on the altar; I am sorry enough to be short with people, sometimes, or intermittently available.

The New York Times - Arts

(Other base flavors -- including chocolate, strawberry and mango -- are intermittently available on a "secret" menu, disclosed only to Twitter and Facebook followers).

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

39 human-written examples

This performance has been available intermittently on the Internet since its first broadcast, in April.

The New Yorker

Many of the students charge their Kindles at school, where power is often available intermittently in the villages where Worldreader has distributed devices.

The New York Times

These data are discussed in terms of economic and Zeitgeber effects on consumption when food is available intermittently, and are contrasted with results from comparable protocols in mice.

Physiology & Behavior

Cars fueled by compressed natural gas have been available intermittently in the United States for decades, and have found wide use in fleets, but have never attracted much consumer interest.

The New York Times

Currently, the only way to see the inside of Hutto is to watch an intermittently blurry video available on YouTube, evidently filmed by immigration officials and later posted by a blogger.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing services or resources, clarify the typical frequency or duration of availability if possible. For example, instead of just saying "The service is "intermittently available"", specify "The service is "intermittently available", typically between 2 PM and 4 PM daily."

Common error

Be careful not to let "intermittently available" automatically suggest something is unreliable. The availability might be predictable or due to known constraints, such as renewable energy sources.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "intermittently available" functions primarily as an adjectival phrase, modifying a noun to indicate that the noun's availability is not constant or continuous. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

36%

News & Media

36%

Academia

16%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "intermittently available" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase that describes something not consistently accessible. As Ludwig AI highlights, it's effective for conveying variable availability across diverse contexts, including science, news, and academia. When using this phrase, clarify the circumstances around the intermittent nature, preventing misinterpretations of unreliability. Alternatives include "periodically accessible" or "sporadically available", each offering a slightly different shade of meaning. Overall, it is important to choose phrases that specifically express nuances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

occasionally accessible

Focuses on the infrequency of access rather than the availability itself.

periodically accessible

Emphasizes availability at set intervals, contrasting with the irregularity implied by "intermittently".

sporadically accessible

Highlights the unpredictable nature of the availability.

available at times

A simpler phrasing that lacks the precision of "intermittently available".

not consistently available

Uses a negative construction to express the lack of consistent availability.

erratically accessible

Suggests availability that is unpredictable and possibly unreliable.

available off and on

An idiomatic expression indicating a fluctuating state of availability.

temporarily available

Indicates availability for a limited duration each time.

subject to availability

Highlights that availability is contingent on various factors.

seasonally available

Suggests availability that depends on a specific time of year.

FAQs

How can I use "intermittently available" in a sentence?

You can use "intermittently available" to describe resources, services, or even emotional states that are not consistently accessible. For example: "The website was "intermittently available" due to server maintenance", or "His support was "intermittently available", leaving her feeling uncertain."

What's a more formal alternative to "intermittently available"?

In formal contexts, you might use phrases like "periodically accessible" or "subject to availability" instead of "intermittently available". For example: "The data is "periodically accessible"" conveys a similar meaning with a more professional tone.

Is "intermittently available" the same as "sporadically available"?

While similar, "intermittently available" suggests availability that comes and goes, possibly with some predictability, whereas "sporadically available" emphasizes that availability is irregular and unpredictable.

What does it mean when something is described as "intermittently available"?

When something is described as "intermittently available", it means it is not consistently accessible or present. Its availability fluctuates, meaning it might be accessible at some times but not at others.