incessant

adjective

in·​ces·​sant (ˌ)in-ˈse-sᵊnt 

: continuing or following without interruption : unceasing

Synonyms

• ceaseless
• continual
• continued
• continuing
• continuous
• nonstop
• perpetual
• running
• unbroken
• unceasing
• uninterrupted
• unremitting

Choose the Right Synonym for incessant

continual, continuous, constant, incessant, perpetual, perennial mean characterized by continued occurrence or recurrence.

continual often implies a close prolonged succession or recurrence.

continual showers the whole weekend

continuous usually implies an uninterrupted flow or spatial extension.

football's oldest continuous rivalry

constant implies uniform or persistent occurrence or recurrence.

lived in constant pain

incessant implies ceaseless or uninterrupted activity.

annoyed by the incessant quarreling

perpetual suggests unfailing repetition or lasting duration.

a land of perpetual snowfall

perennial implies enduring existence often through constant renewal.

a perennial source of controversy

Examples of incessant in a Sentence

Much of the early motor development of the child depends on learning and refining such procedures, through play, imitation, trial and error, and incessant rehearsal. —Oliver Sacks, New Yorker, 24 Sept. 2007

Magna Carta also stipulated that the shire courts should meet as royal courts under the itinerant justices more often than twice a year—a change, convenient to the landed classes and their incessant civil actions, that was not implemented because of the cost to the Crown. —Norman F. Cantor, Imagining the Law, 1997

Whatever Stalin's ancestry, his biographers, Robert Tucker in particular, have concluded that his unfortunate childhood experiences, including incessant, murderous beatings by his drunken father, were probably what caused his pathological behaviour. —Amy Knight, Times Literary Supplement, 26 Apr. 1991

the incessant noise from an outside repair crew was a real distraction during the test

Recent Examples on the Web

How to avoid tip rage There are two ways to prevent frustration at the incessant solicitations for tips. —Christopher Elliott, USA TODAY, 12 July 2024

The soundtrack of this and every summer is my incessant whining to the beat of a whirring fan. —Allison Robicelli, Washington Post, 11 July 2024

Stanley Moss, a poet and art dealer known for his meditative verses on friendship, God, evil, animals, his Jewish heritage and the incessant march of time, died July 5 at a rehabilitation and nursing center in New City, N.Y. —Harrison Smith, Washington Post, 9 July 2024

Visitors coming to watch football matches, drink beer and enjoy Bavarian food have been met with incessant delays from the train network which is supposed to connect different parts of the country. —Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune Europe, 3 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English incessaunt, from Late Latin incessant-, incessans, from Latin in- + cessant-, cessans, present participle of cessare to delay — more at cease

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

incessant

adjective

in·​ces·​sant (ˈ)in-ˈses-ᵊnt 

: going on and on : not stopping or letting up

incessantly adverb