Choose the correct option which is closest in meaning to the word ‘Sporadic’:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → occasional
- Sporadic means happening only now and then, at irregular intervals, or in scattered places. It comes from the Greek sporadikos (scattered).
Example: There was sporadic firing along the border through the night. - Occasional means happening from time to time, not regularly. Both words describe something that happens only now and then, so occasional is the synonym of sporadic.
Example: Apart from an occasional shower, the week was dry.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: epidemic — Incorrect. An epidemic is a disease or problem that spreads quickly among many people; it is widespread, the opposite of scattered.
Example: A flu epidemic closed the schools.
Option 3: stagnant — Incorrect. Stagnant means not flowing, moving or developing; it says nothing about how often something happens.
Example: Mosquitoes breed in stagnant water.
Option 4: soothing — Incorrect. Soothing means calming or easing pain or worry.
Example: The soothing music helped her sleep.
| Synonyms (Sporadic) | Antonyms (Sporadic) |
|---|---|
| occasional | regular |
| intermittent | frequent |
| irregular | constant |
| scattered | continuous |
The following words have also been asked in other CUET (UG) English papers:
| Word | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sporadic | 12-05 S1 | 16-05 S1 20-05 S2 | – | – | – |