Vocabulary in context
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Erratic
Not regular or predictable; characterized by inconsistency or uncertainty.
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Imagine This
Imagine a metronome that resets to different tempos at random moments, sometimes speeding up, sometimes slowing down, never maintaining a steady beat.
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Sounds Like
ih-RAT-ik
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Looks Like
Ends with -atic like dramatic; contains 'err' (to wander) visually hinting at inconsistency
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Remember This
Erratic behavior implies irregularity over time, not just a one-off quirk. Related roots include errant and irregular.
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Other Forms
erraticallyadverb
erraticismnoun
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Connect With
unpredictable, irregular, inconsistent, capricious, volatile
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Note
Do not confuse with 'erroneous' (wrong) or 'irregular' (lacking regularity in form). Erratic emphasizes unpredictability in pattern or course.
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Study Deeper
Examples
- The team's performance has been erratic, with dazzling wins followed by disappointing losses.
- Her driving became erratic after the rain began, weaving between lanes.
Synonyms
irregularunpredictableinconsistentcapriciousvolatile
Antonyms
consistentsteadypredictable
Etymology
From Latin erraticus, meaning wandering, from errare 'to wander' with the suffix -atic.
Mnemonic
Erratic = err and tic: picture someone who keeps making errors and has a nervous tic, acting in a highly unpredictable way.
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Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Capricious
adjectiveUnpredictable; given to sudden, unaccountable changes in mood or behavior.
Abstruse
adjectiveDifficult to understand; obscure or highly complex.
Accidental
adjectiveHappening by chance or without deliberate planning; not intended. In music, it is also a noun for a symbol that temporarily alters a pitch.
Acerbic
adjectiveSharp or biting in tone or taste; caustic or mordant in manner.
Acquiescent
adjectiveReady to agree or approve without protest; compliant.
Adamant
adjectiveRigid in opinion or purpose; not willing to change one's mind or position.
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