fitfully
/ˈfɪtfəli/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈfɪtfəli/ (ame, ipa)
fitfully — adverb
1. with repeated breaks and uneven pauses, instead of continuing smoothly for a lon
with repeated breaks and uneven pauses, instead of continuing smoothly for a long time.
Theo slept fitfully on the train, waking each time the doors opened.
sleep fitfully for broken, interrupted sleep
The baby cried fitfully through the night while the fever slowly rose.
fitfully with crying to show repeated stops and starts
Rain fell fitfully over the campsite, then stopped before breakfast.
After the argument, Jisoo worked fitfully and kept checking her phone.
The weak signal returned fitfully as Rafael drove along the mountain road.
- intermittently
more neutral and often used for events or signals that turn on and off
- restlessly
mainly describes uneasy sleep or movement, not rain or radio signals
- sporadically
more formal and often used for things that appear at irregular times
- steadily
emphasises regular, continuous action without breaks
- continuously
focuses on something going on without stopping
文法句型
fitfully + verb
verb + fitfully
sleep fitfully
rain falls fitfully
用法筆記
Often used with sleep, breathing, rain, work, or communication to show repeated interruption. It suggests brief starts and stops, not simply a slow or gentle manner.