erratic
Changing suddenly and without any pattern.
erratic in a sentence
- The wasp's erratic flight, darting left, right, up and down, made it impossible to swat.
- The old lawnmower ran in an erratic way, roaring one minute and spluttering the next.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to erratic?
- Aregular
- Beven
- Csteady
- Dunpredictable
Show the answer
D: unpredictable. The other three mean the opposite of erratic.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to erratic?
- Aunpredictable
- Brandom
- Cchangeable
- Dsteady
Show the answer
D: steady. The other three mean nearly the same as erratic.
Words that mean something similar
unpredictable, random, changeable
Words that mean the opposite
steady, regular, even
More words about movement & action
- escapade: An exciting adventure that is a little naughty or risky.
- etch: To cut or scratch a design into a hard surface.
- evacuate: To leave a dangerous place, or to move people away from one.
- evade: To avoid someone or something by being quick or clever.
- expel: To force someone or something to leave or come out.
- extract: To take or pull something out, often with effort.
- falter: To lose confidence and begin to hesitate or stumble.
- feat: An act that takes great skill, strength or courage.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test