irregularly

/ɪˈreɡjələli/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪˈreɡjələrli/ (ame, ipa) · /(ˈ)i, ə, (ˈ)ir, (ˈ)iə+/ (ame, mw)

irregularly — 副詞

1. with gaps, timings, or spaces that do not follow a steady pattern.

1.副詞B2
釋義

不規律地

時間或間隔不平均

with gaps, timings, or spaces that do not follow a steady pattern.

例句

The buses arrived irregularly during the stormy night in Kaohsiung.

那個暴風雨的夜晚，高雄的公車到站很不規律。

arrive irregularly = uneven timing

Rain fell irregularly all week, with long dry hours between showers.

雨整週都下得不規律，中間常隔很久才再下。

同義詞
  • unevenly

    good for spacing or distribution, but less natural for time

  • sporadically

    stresses rare appearances rather than simply an uneven pattern

  • erratically

    suggests a more wild or hard-to-predict pattern

反義詞

文法句型

arrive irregularly

occur irregularly

be spaced irregularly

用法筆記

Often follows verbs about arrival, sleep, rainfall, movement, or placement. Distinguish from sense 3: this sense is about an uneven pattern, not about doing something against a rule.

常見錯誤

❌The buses came unregularly after midnight.
✅The buses came irregularly after midnight.
💡English uses 'irregularly', not 'unregularly'.

2. with a shape, surface, or spread that is uneven instead of smooth or balanced.

2.副詞B2
釋義

不均勻地

形狀、表面或分布不整齊

with a shape, surface, or spread that is uneven instead of smooth or balanced.

例句

The child cut the paper irregularly, leaving one side much wider.

那個孩子把紙剪得不均勻，一邊明顯比較寬。

cut irregularly = uneven edge or shape

Snow lay irregularly on the roof, with bare patches near the chimney.

雪不均勻地落在屋頂上，煙囪旁還露出一塊塊空處。

同義詞
  • unevenly

    the closest everyday match for surfaces, spacing, or spread

  • patchily

    best when coverage comes in separate spots rather than a full spread

  • asymmetrically

    more formal and often used when the two sides do not match

反義詞
  • evenly

    with the same level, thickness, or spacing throughout

  • smoothly

    without rough edges or patchy areas

文法句型

be shaped irregularly

spread irregularly

cut irregularly

用法筆記

Usually describes edges, surfaces, baked results, or things arranged across a space. Distinguish from sense 1, which is about timing or intervals rather than physical form.

常見錯誤

❌The lights were arranged irregular on the wall.
✅The lights were arranged irregularly on the wall.
💡after 'arranged', English needs the adverb form.

3. contrary to the rule, proper method, or official procedure that should be follow

3.副詞C1
釋義

違規地

不按規定或正常程序

contrary to the rule, proper method, or official procedure that should be followed.

例句

Officials counted the votes irregularly after sealing some boxes too early.

官員在幾個票箱過早封存後，違規地清點了選票。

count irregularly = against official procedure

The club admitted guests irregularly, letting friends skip the waiting list.

那家俱樂部違規地讓熟人跳過候位名單直接進場。

同義詞
  • improperly

    focuses on doing something in the wrong way, not always against a formal rule

  • unlawfully

    stronger, used when the broken rule is specifically a law

  • wrongly

    broader and less formal than 'irregularly'

反義詞

文法句型

act irregularly

be appointed irregularly

handle funds irregularly

用法筆記

Often appears in official, legal, or administrative contexts where a process should follow a rule. Distinguish from sense 1: late or uneven payments fit sense 1, but payments made against policy fit sense 3.

常見錯誤

❌The contract was signed irregularly, so everything was proper.
✅The contract was signed irregularly, so the process was improper.
💡in this sense, 'irregularly' signals a problem with the procedure.

4. with forms that change differently from the normal grammar pattern of a language

4.副詞C1
釋義

變化不規則

不依語法常規變化

with forms that change differently from the normal grammar pattern of a language.

例句

This verb changes irregularly in the past tense, so students memorize it.

這個動詞過去式變化得不規則，所以學生得另外記。

change irregularly in the past tense

Layla noticed that the plural was formed irregularly in her Arabic class.

Layla 在阿拉伯語課上注意到這個複數形式變化得不規則。

同義詞
  • anomalously

    formal and rare, often used in linguistic analysis

  • exceptionally

    too broad in everyday use, but possible in grammar discussion

  • nonstandardly

    focuses on being outside the standard form rather than just unusual

反義詞
  • regularly

    following the normal grammar pattern

文法句型

conjugate irregularly

be spelled irregularly

decline irregularly

用法筆記

Used mainly in grammar explanations with words such as conjugate, decline, spell, and form. Distinguish from sense 3: this sense describes language patterns, not people breaking rules.

常見錯誤

❌This verb is very irregularly.
✅This verb changes irregularly.
💡the adverb describes how the form changes, not the verb after 'be' alone.