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
The continuum of problem drinking There aren’t just two types of drinkers –– those who have a problem and those who don’t have to worry about it, Dick said.
—
Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 9 Jan. 2026
This initiative provides grants to cities, counties and continuums of care to help prevent and end homelessness in their regions.
—Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
But a continuum seems to exist.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 4 Jan. 2026
In 1935, Einstein and his colleague Nathan Rosen found a mathematical solution that suggested this spacetime continuum could form a kind of tunnel connecting two distant points, called an Einstein-Rosen bridge.
—Katia Riddle, NPR, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for continuum
Madeline Holcombe, CNN Money, 9 Jan. 2026
This initiative provides grants to cities, counties and continuums of care to help prevent and end homelessness in their regions.
—Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
But a continuum seems to exist.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 4 Jan. 2026
In 1935, Einstein and his colleague Nathan Rosen found a mathematical solution that suggested this spacetime continuum could form a kind of tunnel connecting two distant points, called an Einstein-Rosen bridge.
—Katia Riddle, NPR, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for continuum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for continuum
Noun
-
However, the backlash from both sides of the political spectrum was too great, and the video was taken down after nearly 12 hours.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
14 Feb. 2026
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Reflect the full spectrum of senior financial needs.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
14 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Mass shootings are rare in Canada, a country with much stricter gun laws than the US, and school shootings of this scale are almost unheard of.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
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The company’s forestry arm has planted more than one billion trees, underscoring a scale of stewardship rarely matched in private ownership.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Continuum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/continuum. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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