discontinuous

adjective

Save Word

dis·con·tin·u·ous | \ ˌdis-kən-ˈtin-yə-wəs

, -yü-əs \

Definition of discontinuous

1a(1) : not continuous a discontinuous series of events

(2) : not continued : discrete discontinuous features of terrain

b : lacking sequence or coherence

2 : having one or more mathematical discontinuities —used of a variable or a function

Other Words from discontinuous Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More About discontinuous

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of discontinuous in a Sentence

a discontinuous series of events the novel captures the discontinuous nature of a soldier's life: long stretches of boredom interrupted by flashes of chaos and panic

Recent Examples on the Web The past three presidencies have been jarringly discontinuous in style, temperament, and policy. — Matthew Continetti, National Review, 19 Sep. 2020 The boring parts of his story are salutary, framing the discontinuous dramas. — Peter Schjeldahl, The New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2020 Most audacious is his discontinuous, fantasy space. — Brian T. Allen, National Review, 15 Aug. 2020 It should be rejected because penning in the majority of the population in a small, crowded, and discontinuous territory is not the type of compromise that can ever bring peace. — Omri Boehm, The New York Review of Books, 9 June 2020 The maximum wind speed was 85 to 90 mph with a width of 50 yards and a discontinuous path length of 3.2 miles. — courant.com, 6 Sep. 2019 Many of the papers debate whether this new model constitutes a truly discontinuous phase transition. — Jennifer Ouellette, Quanta Magazine, 14 July 2015 But scientists have had a hard time describing the origins and sources of these and many other capacities, because there is nothing qualitatively discontinuous that separates our DNA or neurobiology from our great ape relatives. — David P. Barash, WSJ, 11 Jan. 2019 So the internet and what things are on a screen are quick-cut, nonlinear, discontinuous, and flat. — Todd Vanderwerff, Vox, 25 Aug. 2018

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