Definition of continuousnext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word continuous different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of continuous are constant, continual, incessant, perennial, and perpetual. While all these words mean "characterized by continued occurrence or recurrence," continuous usually implies an uninterrupted flow or spatial extension.

football's oldest continuous rivalry

In what contexts can constant take the place of continuous?

The words constant and continuous are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, constant implies uniform or persistent occurrence or recurrence.

lived in constant pain

When would continual be a good substitute for continuous?

While in some cases nearly identical to continuous, continual often implies a close prolonged succession or recurrence.

continual showers the whole weekend

When could incessant be used to replace continuous?

While the synonyms incessant and continuous are close in meaning, incessant implies ceaseless or uninterrupted activity.

annoyed by the incessant quarreling

When is perennial a more appropriate choice than continuous?

The meanings of perennial and continuous largely overlap; however, perennial implies enduring existence often through constant renewal.

a perennial source of controversy

When might perpetual be a better fit than continuous?

In some situations, the words perpetual and continuous are roughly equivalent. However, perpetual suggests unfailing repetition or lasting duration.

a land of perpetual snowfall

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of continuous With the squeegee, use a smooth, continuous stroke that starts from the top corner and moves down. Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 12 Apr. 2026 Each year a baby goes through about 3,000 diapers, essential care products that are in continuous contact with sensitive skin. Kate Sequeira, Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026 In terms of decor, a light palette inspired by the Mediterranean is paired with soft curves and continuous surfaces, giving the living quarters a calm, flowing feel. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 10 Apr. 2026 As the September 11, 2001 attacks unfolded, Fox News innovated again by using a news ticker on the bottom of the screen to update viewers with new information on a continuous basis. Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for continuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for continuous
Adjective
  • As the political philosopher Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679) wrote in his magnum opus Leviathan, there would be no culture, no navigation, no knowledge of the face of the earth, no arts, no letters, no society; instead, there would be rapes, thefts, murders, and continual fear of violence.
    George G. Szpiro, Big Think, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Typically, the flow of traffic through a roundabout is much more continual and smoother, Pubentz said.
    Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The insurance crisis has multiple causes and will require continued action on multiple fronts.
    Scott Wiener, Oc Register, 12 Apr. 2026
  • Among them, two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors are gaining traction as a promising post-Moore pathway, offering atomically thin structures that could enable continued transistor scaling while improving energy efficiency and performance.
    Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Officials said overnight enforcement will focus on common and continuing offenses such as commercial vehicles parked in residential areas and permit violations.
    Michelle Deal-Zimmerman, Baltimore Sun, 6 Mar. 2025
  • State of the labor market Initial weekly unemployment insurance claims have held in a fairly steady range around 220,000, though continuing claims earlier in November had hit their highest level in about three years.
    Jeff Cox, CNBC, 5 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Between rising costs, vanishing support systems and nonstop scrutiny, parenthood, as Ej Dickson describes in One Bad Mother, has started to feel less like a choice than a trap.
    Micah Barkley, Bloomberg, 10 Apr. 2026
  • Broadway and Downtown deliver the classic honky-tonk energy — think a live-music-heavy, country version of a nonstop party strip.
    Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Bologna’s man-to-man press is incessant and does not change for any opponent, home or away.
    Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
  • The plot attends both to twentieth-century horrors, such as Ukraine’s Holodomor, and to what Reed saw coming, in social media’s incessant threat to our inner life.
    Stephanie Burt, New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Oman is a party to UNCLOS and is therefore obligated to allow uninterrupted transit through the strait.
    Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Schofield and Blake traverse the precarious battlefields of northern France, and Oscar-winning cinematographer Roger Deakins' expert camerawork makes the film appear to be shot with only two uninterrupted takes.
    Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Continuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/continuous. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.

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