on-off

adjective

That is either fully on or fully off, and is used to toggle a status between on and off; as in an on-off switch.

“John loved being with his sister, but from time to time he wished she had an on-off switch.”

Similar
on-againoff-againon-and-off
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Meanings

adjective

alternative on/off · alternative on-and-off

  1. That is either fully on or fully off, and is used to toggle a status between on and off; as in an on-off switch.

    John loved being with his sister, but from time to time he wished she had an on-off switch.

  2. Synonym of on-again, off-again.

    Synonyms: on-again, off-again

  3. Synonym of on-and-off.

    But Yemen has been at war, on and off, since 2014 and this latest upsurge in fighting is made more complicated by the fact the Houthis are backed by Iran which is in its own on-off war with the US.

    2026 September 21, Chris Mason, Frank Gardner, Isabella Allen, Richard Wheeler, “UK to help refuel Saudi jets countering Houthi attacks”, in BBC News, retrieved 22 Sep 2026

    Synonyms: on-and-off

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveSynonym of on-again, off-again.

Similar
on-againoff-again

adjectiveSynonym of on-and-off.

Similar
on-and-off
Also see
on-again, off-again
Cite this entry
APA

on-off. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/on-off

MLA

“on-off.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/on-off. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “on-off,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/on-off.

Source: on-off on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.