erratic

adjective er·rat·ic \ i-ˈra-tik \

Updated on: 8 Dec 2017

Definition of erratic

1 : having no fixed course : wandering

an erratic comet

2 a : characterized by lack of consistency, regularity, or uniformity

erratic dieting

keeps erratic hours

b : deviating from what is ordinary or standard : eccentric

an erratic genius

3 : transported from an original resting place especially by a glacier

an erratic boulder

4 archaic : nomadic

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erratical

play \i-ˈra-ti-kəl\ adjective

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erratically

play \i-ˈra-ti-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

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erraticism

play \i-ˈra-tə-ˌsi-zəm\ noun

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Examples of erratic in a Sentence

My sinker has been my most erratic pitch. And when your foundation pitch is lacking, you have to go to other pitches. My sinker has been in and out, but mostly out. —Orel Hershiser, in New York Times, 9 May 1999
In winning his two-month match in Yugoslavia against Boris Spassky, 10 games to five, Bobby Fischer was erratic, which was hardly surprising considering his two-decade layoff, but there were times when he played more brilliantly than anybody could have expected. —Sports Illustrated, 16 Nov. 1992
Over the centuries, in erratic ways, men have constructed a world in which they are relatively free of many kinds of threatening or harmful stimuli … —B. F. Skinner, Beyond Freedom and Dignity, (1971) 1972
so far your effort to land a summer job has been very erratic
because of your erratic attendance at practice, you're in danger of being cut from the team

Recent Examples of erratic from the Web

With a packed house, pacing can become a little erratic, but waiters are largely on the ball — funny, engaging and attuned to diners’ needs.

— providence cicero, The Seattle Times, "Chef Jason Wilson expands to the Eastside with The Lakehouse," 14 Sep. 2017
Police initiated a traffic stop on a green Jeep for erratic driving on Sept. 5 in the 6000 block of North Lake Drive.

— brittany seemuth, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "North Shore police reports: Drunk driver hits house in Glendale," 13 Sep. 2017
The final scene of Riverdale's steamy, erratic Season 2 premiere shocked everyone when the Angel of Death murdered Miss Grundy (Sarah Habel) — only moments after her most recent victim left her home in Greendale after a *cough* music lesson.

— stacey grant, Seventeen, "Did Miss Grundy's Latest Victim on "Riverdale" Look Familiar? He Should," 12 Oct. 2017
After the duo dissolved, Rakim had an erratic solo career but could still periodically deliver incisive lines and confident flow.

— milwaukee, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "6 top Milwaukee concerts this week, including Flaming Lips and Rakim," 14 Sep. 2017
That also means the Ravens could put pressure on the erratic Dalton, who has been known to commit costly turnovers under duress.

— mike preston, baltimoresun.com, "Mike Preston: Nothing pretty about Ravens' recipe for success, but if they follow it they'll win," 10 Sep. 2017
Chris Sims/IndyStar Climate change has been blamed for long, hot summers, erratic storms, and frigid winters.

— shari rudavsky, Indianapolis Star, "What's behind increase in road deaths? It may not be what you think," 1 Sep. 2017
Lightning is erratic, so people try to impose order—even if that order leads to more disorder in the form of myths.

— robin tricoles, The Atlantic, "The Thunderstorm Whisperers," 31 Aug. 2017
Desert kangaroo rats employ wildly erratic jumps, kicks to the head, rapid foot drumming, and even smack the snakes with a faceful of sand to deter the predators.

— National Geographic, "Watch a Rat Escape a Snake Attack—In 100 Milliseconds," 26 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'erratic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

Erratic can refer to literal "wandering". A missile that loses its guidance system may follow an erratic path, and a river with lots of twists and bends is said to have an erratic course. Erratic can also mean "inconsistent" or "irregular". So a stock market that often changes direction is said to be acting erratically; an erratic heartbeat can be cause for concern; and if your car idles erratically it may mean that something's wrong with the spark-plug wiring.

Origin and Etymology of erratic

Middle English, from Latin erraticus, from erratus, past participle of errare — see err

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

erratic Synonyms

Synonyms

aimless, arbitrary, catch-as-catch-can, desultory, random, haphazard, helter-skelter, hit-or-miss, scattered, slapdash, stray

Antonyms

methodical (also methodic), nonrandom, orderly, organized, regular, systematic, systematized

Near Antonyms

established, fixed, regular, set, stable, steady; constant, continuous, even; arranged, managed, orchestrated, ordered, planned; aware, conscious, deliberate, purposeful, thoughtful, willful (or wilful)

Synonym Discussion of erratic

strange, singular, unique, peculiar, eccentric, erratic, odd, quaint, outlandish mean departing from what is ordinary, usual, or to be expected. strange stresses unfamiliarity and may apply to the foreign, the unnatural, the unaccountable.