occasionally active

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "occasionally active" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe someone or something that is not consistently active but engages in activity from time to time. Example: "The cat is occasionally active during the night, often playing with its toys when the house is quiet."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

Encyclopedias

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

Participants were grouped into three physical activity categories based on their physical activity scores: inactive & occasionally active (Low, n = 407), light to moderate activity (Medium, n = 387) and moderate to vigorous activity (High, n = 144).

BMC Public Health

Deer mice are nocturnal but are occasionally active in the early evening.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Dormice construct globular nests in trees, bushes, rock crevices, and burrows and among tree roots; some also utilize abandoned bird or squirrel nests and, occasionally, active beehives.

Encyclopedia Britannica

It focused on getting inactive and occasionally active students involved in sports by providing a variety of informal sports sessions that were free, convenient, easy-to-access and with a fun and social element.

The Guardian

But throughout these early years of communist rule Lin, who may have been in chronic ill-health, seldom appeared in public and was probably only occasionally active at his various posts.

Encyclopedia Britannica

(The remnants of the Red Brigades splintered into two factions: the New Red Brigades/Communist Combatant Party and the Red Brigades/ Unionof Combatant Communists. Although occasionally active, these splinter groups have too little in common with the original Red Brigades to be considered their heirs).

Encyclopedia Britannica

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

Via stretching the linker coil and rotating the 5'-nuclease 5'-nuclease thermal noise can occasionally usher the active site of the 5'-nuclease domain theards thermalitionoiseacant toccasionallyrase active site.

Plosone

Mr. Holliger's music -- like that of many Swiss musicians, including Honegger and Frank Martin -- sometimes echoes with Bach, and occasionally the highly active, modest-size "Schneewittchen" orchestra will settle into a chorale or a contrapuntal invention, thoroughly reimagined for the late 20th-century context.

The New York Times - Arts

Sam snaps occasionally with less active user Joel Johnson, longtime Gizmodo employee.

TechCrunch

Facilitated by globalization and intercontinental trade but occasionally also through active import and propagation by humans, an increasing number of plant and animal species are transplanted to regions and ecosystems in which they are not native.

BioScience

Briggs and Faucher had become lifelong friends without ever quite getting past the fact that their discomfort with each other occasionally boiled over into active detestation.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing systems or processes, use "occasionally active" to convey that activity is not continuous but occurs at intervals. This avoids implying constant operation while still indicating functionality.

Common error

Avoid using "occasionally active" when describing something that is generally inactive. Ensure there are indeed periods of observable activity, however infrequent, to justify the description.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "occasionally active" primarily functions as a descriptive phrase, modifying a noun to indicate that the subject engages in activity at infrequent intervals. This usage is supported by Ludwig's examples across different contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

41%

News & Media

23%

Encyclopedias

21%

Less common in

Wiki

8%

Formal & Business

5%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "occasionally active" is a descriptive term indicating that something or someone exhibits activity at infrequent intervals, as validated by Ludwig. While grammatically correct and versatile across various registers, it is important to use it judiciously, ensuring that observable activity indeed occurs. The phrase is commonly found in scientific, news media, and encyclopedic contexts, highlighting its use in describing phenomena that are not continuously operational. Remember to consider synonyms like "intermittently active" or "sporadically active" to refine your message and provide the most accurate description.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

intermittently functioning

Focuses on the functionality happening at intervals rather than continuous operation.

sporadically operational

Emphasizes the irregular and scattered nature of the operational status.

irregularly engaged

Highlights the lack of a fixed pattern in participation or involvement.

periodically working

Stresses the cyclical nature of activity, occurring in distinct periods.

sometimes in service

Indicates that the item or person is not always available or being used.

on-and-off participation

Highlights a fluctuating involvement with alternating periods of activity and inactivity.

now and then operational

Stresses the infrequency and unpredictability of activity.

cycled activity

Emphasizes the cyclical and repetitive pattern of the activity.

unsteady operation

Highlights the lack of consistency and stability in operation.

inconsistent activity

Underscores the variable and non-uniform nature of the activity.

FAQs

How can I use "occasionally active" in a sentence?

You can use "occasionally active" to describe something or someone that is not always active but has periods of activity. For example: "The volcano is considered dormant but is still occasionally active".

What is a synonym for "occasionally active"?

Synonyms for "occasionally active" include "intermittently active", "sporadically active", or "periodically active". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is it better to say "sometimes active" or "occasionally active"?

"Sometimes active" and "occasionally active" are similar, but "occasionally active" implies a less frequent occurrence than "sometimes active". The best choice depends on the intended degree of infrequency.

What's the difference between "rarely active" and "occasionally active"?

"Rarely active" suggests a significantly lower frequency of activity than "occasionally active". Use "rarely" when the activity is very infrequent, almost negligible.