as in spectrum
formal
a range or series of things that are slightly different from each other and that exist between two different possibilities
His motives for volunteering lie somewhere on the continuum between charitable and self-serving. a continuum of temperatures ranging from very cold to very hot
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Recent Examples of continuum
This sounds specific enough, but the film’s bleakness belongs on a continuum with any number of works from the past ten or 15 or 20 years.
—
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 3 July 2025
Those continuums often include some combination of local government, businesses, nonprofit service providers like shelters, and even religious organizations.
—Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 2 July 2025
Upfront, Rivas portrays this first-time facial as part of a continuum of at-home treatment.
—Mark Holgate, Vogue, 15 June 2025
Because heat is the random motion of particles, these thermal effects suggest to many researchers that black holes, and the space-time continuum in general, actually consist of some kind of particles or other microscopic components.
—George Musser, Quanta Magazine, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for continuum
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 3 July 2025
Those continuums often include some combination of local government, businesses, nonprofit service providers like shelters, and even religious organizations.
—Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 2 July 2025
Upfront, Rivas portrays this first-time facial as part of a continuum of at-home treatment.
—Mark Holgate, Vogue, 15 June 2025
Because heat is the random motion of particles, these thermal effects suggest to many researchers that black holes, and the space-time continuum in general, actually consist of some kind of particles or other microscopic components.
—George Musser, Quanta Magazine, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for continuum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for continuum
Noun
-
Kirk’s death brought a tremendous response across the political spectrum.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Sep. 2025
-
Musk’s stint in the White House, subsequent split from the president, and continued embrace of right-wing causes has alienated consumers across the political spectrum, polls have repeatedly found.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Geomagnetic storms are classified using a G-scale, which ranks their intensity from G1 (minor) to G5 (extreme).—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
17 Sep. 2025
-
That synchronization layer doesn’t yet exist at scale.—
Sean Lee,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Continuum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/continuum. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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