What does sometimes mean?
Sometimes is an adverb meaning that an action or event happens on some occasions but not consistently. It is used when the frequency is irregular, limited, or difficult to specify, as in “She is sometimes late for meetings.” The word belongs to everyday English and carries a generally neutral tone: it neither suggests that an event is very rare nor that it occurs regularly. Sometimes can also contrast with stronger frequency words in a phrase such as “sometimes, but not always.” In literary or atmospheric writing, it may evoke a recurring but unpredictable pattern, especially in descriptions of dreams, memories, sounds, or nocturnal events. The word is especially useful when a speaker wants to acknowledge that something happens without implying that it follows a fixed routine. It is closely related in form and origin to “sometime,” “somehow,” and “somewhat,” but those words express different kinds of time or degree.
adverbAt times or on some occasions, but not regularly or always. It indicates that something happens intermittently or occasionally.
- At times or on some occasions; occasionally.
"She sometimes walks to work when the weather is particularly pleasant."
"We sometimes meet for coffee on Saturday mornings."
"The old clock sometimes stops during the night."
Sometimes lets you describe recurring events without committing to a regular schedule: it marks what happens between never and always.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sometimes come from?
Sometimes developed from Middle English forms related to “sometime” and “sometymes,” with the ending -s reflecting an earlier inflected form. The word combines “some” with “time” and originally conveyed the idea of “at some time” before becoming established in its modern sense of “occasionally.” Its relatives include “sometime,” “somehow,” and “somewhat,” all of which share the older element “some.”
How sometimes is actually used
Sometimes is a neutral, everyday adverb. It is less precise than “occasionally” when a regular but infrequent pattern is intended, and it may suggest that an event happens unpredictably. In formal writing, it is commonly paired with “but not always” or another clause to clarify frequency.
Easily confused with sometimes
Sometimes means that something happens on some occasions, whereas sometime usually refers to one unspecified time or moment.
Sometimes describes how often something happens, whereas somewhat describes the degree to which it happens.