some ‧ times S1 W1 /ˈsʌmtaɪmz/ BrE AmE adverb
on some occasions but not always ⇨ occasionally :
I sometimes have to work late.
Sometimes, Grandma would tell us stories about her childhood in Italy.
‘Do you ever wish you were back in Japan?’ ‘Sometimes. Not very often.’
The journey takes an hour, sometimes even longer.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ sometimes on some occasions but not always:
Sometimes, I wish I was still living in Tokyo.
|
He sometimes plays football with my brother.
▪ occasionally ( also on occasion written ) used about something that only happens a few times. Occasionally is used when something happens more rarely than sometimes :
I prefer trousers but I do wear skirts occasionally.
|
Occasionally, operations have to be cancelled.
|
On occasion, prisoners were allowed visits from their families.
▪ (every) now and then/again ( also from time to time ) sometimes but not often or regularly:
We still call each other every now and then.
|
Every now and again, an invention comes along which changes people's lives completely.
|
Even experienced doctors make mistakes from time to time.
▪ every so often sometimes at fairly regular periods:
He looked up from his book every so often.
|
Every so often, a train whizzed past.
▪ at times if something happens at times, it happens sometimes but is not what usually happens:
The job can be frustrating at times.
|
At times I've wondered whether I made the right decision in moving here.
▪ (every) once in a while sometimes but very rarely:
We only see each other every once in a while.