irregular

adjective

ir·reg·u·lar | \ i-ˈre-gyə-lər,

ˌi(r)-\

Definition of irregular

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : not being or acting in accord with laws, rules, or established custom irregular conduct

b : not conforming to the usual pattern of inflection irregular verbs specifically : strong sense 16

c : not following a usual or prescribed procedure especially, British : celebrated without either proclamation of the banns or publication of intention to marry irregular marriage

2 : not belonging to or a part of a regular organized group specifically : not belonging to a regular army but raised for a special purpose irregular troops

3a : lacking perfect symmetry or evenness an irregular coastline

b : having one or more floral parts of the same whorl different in size, shape, or arrangement specifically : zygomorphic

4 : lacking continuity or regularity especially of occurrence or activity irregular employment

irregular

noun

Definition of irregular (Entry 2 of 2)

: one that is irregular: such as

a : a soldier who is not a member of a regular military force

b irregulars plural : merchandise that has minor defects or that falls next below the manufacturer's standard for firsts

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Choose the Right Synonym for irregular

Adjective

irregular, anomalous, unnatural mean not conforming to rule, law, or custom. irregular implies not conforming to a law or regulation imposed for the sake of uniformity in method, practice, or conduct. concerned about his irregular behavior anomalous implies not conforming to what might be expected because of the class or type to which it belongs or the laws that govern its existence. her drive made her an anomalous figure in a sleepy organization unnatural suggests what is contrary to nature or to principles or standards felt to be essential to the well-being of civilized society. prisoners treated with unnatural cruelty

Examples of irregular in a Sentence

Adjective

His behavior as a teacher was highly irregular. Her application was handled in an irregular manner. a very jagged, irregular surface The stone has an irregular shape. He has a very irregular schedule. The festival has been held at irregular intervals.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

Apple pushed out watchOS 5.1.2 today, which includes its ECG app for monitoring irregular heartbeats. — Valentina Palladino, Ars Technica, "Apple’s anticipated ECG app rolls out today in watchOS 5.1.2," 6 Dec. 2018 And reproduction is irregular, tied to very specific environmental conditions. — Shannon Tompkins, Houston Chronicle, "Gars’ fortunes, anglers’ attitudes evolve over the years," 9 June 2018 But while Ferber sometimes included slender bars, his solids, deployed like calligraphic strokes, are usually laboriously constructed, long, slightly irregular, and hollow. — Karen Wilkin, WSJ, "Abstract Expressionism’s Forgotten Sculptor," 3 Apr. 2018 While ancient dice were quite irregular, later dice were standardized, suggesting either that there were a small number of die manufacturers, or that manufacturers were staying faithful to culturally transmitted rules about die production. — Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, "How Centuries-Old Dice Reveal Changing Attitudes About Fate," 9 Feb. 2018 How would the projector attain sharp focus on an irregular, moving palm? — David Pogue, Scientific American, "How Well Do Movies Predict Our Tech Future?," 1 Jan. 2018 Side effects also vary by drug but can include itching, rash, excessive thirst, frequent urination, nausea and vomiting, an irregular heartbeat, drowsiness, weight changes, blackouts, loss of coordination, and more, according to the NIMH. — Korin Miller, SELF, "5 Bipolar Disorder Treatments You Should Know About," 30 Nov. 2018 There were two serious side effects — one patient was hospitalized for bronchitis and another for an irregular heartbeat — but those were deemed due to their disease and pre-existing conditions, not the gene treatment. — Fox News, "Early results boost hopes for historic gene editing attempt," 7 Sep. 2018 Gloria Casanova, a grandmother, nursing assistant and native of Cuba, was sitting quietly inside her tiny Miami efficiency, studying an English book to learn about irregular verbs. — David Ovalle, miamiherald, "Grandma survived a point-blank bullet to the head. Now, she faces her attacker | Miami Herald," 20 Apr. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Instead imagine high-tech mobs, an intifada with stones and drones, locals and irregulars in improvised warfare with the feds. — Lance Morrow, WSJ, "Political Harassment Is for the Birds," 6 July 2018 Who took up arms to help their husbands in their clashes with Turkish troops and Kurdish irregulars. — Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE.com, "Kim & Rob Kardashian Honor Victims of the Armenian Genocide 103 Years After First Attack," 24 Apr. 2018 The onslaught followed days of army units and pro-government irregulars mobilizing from as far as the northern city of Aleppo before massing south of the capital. — Nabih Bulos, latimes.com, "Syrian army secures areas south of capital," 20 Apr. 2018 The army's 3rd and 4th divisions, the Republican Guard, Russian forces, tribal fighters and pro-government irregulars are expected to take part in the offensive, pro-government activists said. — Nabih Bulos, latimes.com, "'It’s a catastrophe': Almost 200 killed in multi-day bombardment of Syrian suburb," 20 Feb. 2018 As he, Ulibarri and Gola tune their instruments and sip their cocktails, a steady flow of irregulars and their instruments casually stroll through the pub. — Nate Addlestone, miamiherald, "Jazz Mondays at Churchill’s Pub, a safe haven for people who just want to be themselves | Miami Herald," 25 Oct. 2017 His small band of irregulars skirmished with government troops, and each encounter increased their support in Cuba and around the world, even though other insurgent forces in the cities were also fighting to overthrow the Batista government. — Anthony Depalma, New York Times, "Fidel Castro, Cuban Revolutionary Who Defied U.S., Dies at 90," 26 Nov. 2016 The coalition argues that casualties are inevitable in urban warfare with irregulars mixing with civilians and determined to stage a last stand. — Susanna George, The Seattle Times, "Civilian casualty toll could complicate Iraqi reconciliation," 1 May 2017 Elite units, regular troops, irregulars in jeans carrying Kalashnikovs, members of foreign militias and armored vehicles could be seen near the front line on Sunday and Monday. — Anne Barnard, New York Times, "Resurgent Syrian Rebels Surprise Damascus With New Assaults," 21 Mar. 2017

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