irregular

adjective

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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 The job posting says the position includes an irregular schedule of 10 to 20 hours per week, and ambassadors will be paid $23.50 per hour. — Michael Lee, Washington Examiner, "County looking to hire 'COVID-19 ambassadors' to help enforce business compliance with virus restrictions," 18 Nov. 2020 Bashi-Bazouks were irregular troops, or mercenaries, who fought for the Ottoman Empire. — Washington Post, "A masterpiece with a complicated afterlife," 30 Dec. 2020 Solutions vary significantly by vehicle and often require custom shapes, due to the irregular geometries of vehicle interiors. — Andy Cochrane, Popular Mechanics, "How to Turn Your Vehicle into a Camper in a Weekend," 27 Dec. 2020 Space them 20 feet apart to prevent their overcrowding one another, and, if possible, plant them in staggered and irregular groupings, rather than long, straight rows. — Neil Sperry, ExpressNews.com, "Neil Sperry: Christmas cactus blooms closer to Thanksgiving," 3 Dec. 2020 There is a sad realism to the irregular safety measures and masking on the series – not everyone is following guidelines perfectly, or at all. — Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, "How TV shows are handling COVID stories: The good, the bad and the just plain sad," 2 Dec. 2020 That brings us to this week, with the grand opening finally taking place, albeit under irregular circumstances. — Brian Manzullo, Detroit Free Press, "What Black Calder, Michigan's first Black-owned brewery, truly means for craft beer," 26 Nov. 2020 Trump fired the defense secretary and other Pentagon officials last week, telling acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller to focus on cyber and irregular warfare, particularly in China, an administration official tells CNN. — TheWeek, "Trump's last-minute foreign policy dumps are reportedly an attempt to overwhelm Biden and drown his agenda," 18 Nov. 2020 The working hours of a college head coach are long and irregular, and trying to coordinate meals together is often a fool’s errand, which Kristi has recognized over the years. — Tom Green | Tgreen@al.com, al, "Stay-at-Home Orders: Gus Malzahn’s Waffle House tradition on hold during unusual season," 18 Nov. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun As volunteer companies were raised to drive out the Mexican forces — who were occupying their own country — some of the irregulars were joined by free black men. — Paula Allen, ExpressNews.com, "Mixed-race San Antonio adventurer helped Texas fight for independence from Mexico," 15 Feb. 2020 Turkish troops then began shelling Kurdish towns in Syria, and Turkish forces pushed forward, irregulars executing people in ditches along the road. — Time, "'No Friends But the Mountains.' What Life Looks Like for the Kurds of Syria, Now That the U.S. Has Pulled Back," 14 Nov. 2019 Pakistani irregulars invaded, India intervened, and the two countries fought to a stalemate. — Washington Post, "Where the Latest India-Pakistan Conflict May Lead: QuickTake," 15 Feb. 2019 Somehow the regulars don’t seem to mind all the irregulars who come to gawk. — Joshua Levine, WSJ, "Saks Doubles Down on Department Stores With New Restaurant in New York City," 15 Jan. 2019 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

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.