desultory

adjective

ˈde-səl-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce desultory (audio)
Definition of desultorynext
1
as in random
lacking a definite plan, purpose, or pattern a desultory search for something of interest on TV

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rambling
passing from one topic to another a desultory discussion about the news of the day

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 desultory Where Bonnie and Clyde glamorizes its couple and their crimes, Loden renders Wanda passive and desultory in the lawless turn her life has taken. — Air Mail, 23 May 2026 There'd be people sitting outside smoking, having desultory conversations, playing games. — Lale Arikoglu, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Mar. 2026 With all due respect to Swords and Holloway, Olson has taken the team on her back since Michigan’s desultory loss to Iowa last week. — Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 2 Mar. 2026 Though desultory violence by remaining members of the group continued for years, the autumn of 1977 marked the climax of the violent campaigns of extremist left wing groups in the country. — Jason Burke, Time, 27 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for desultory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desultory
  1. random
  2. rambling
  3. scattered
  4. wandering
  5. arbitrary
  6. indirect
  7. erratic
  8. discursive
Adjective
  • And that’s a random sample of years and all 32 teams involved.
    — Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Following the course of this ship right now is definitely random, but interesting.
    — Brian Sullivan, CNBC, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of random
Adjective
  • The rambling, low-slung main residence was extensively renovated by the couple, who also expanded with a separate building that’s tucked up under a vast lawn.
    — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Dylan Young and his Melbourne group fill their third album with winsome and warm tracks whose best moments combine rambling guitars with tales of bruising regret.
    — Linnie Greene, Pitchfork, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of rambling
Adjective
  • That rainfall was predicted to arrive in the form of light, scattered showers.
    — Austin Turner, CBS News, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Security is thin and scattered downtown, and that morning was no different.
    — DP Opinion, Denver Post, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of scattered
Adjective
  • When the wandering pooch finally narrowed his territory, Packer set up a humane trap and spent several days and nights nearby, waiting for Anchovy Jack to take the bait.
    — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 3 Nov. 2026
  • The first drink at five o’clock, the sting of a wandering eye, girls commiserating in the bathroom over their relationships, the loneliness, the escapism, the hope of rekindling a love that’s nearly burned out, and the wild fun of it all.
    — Marissa R. Moss, Rolling Stone, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of wandering
Adjective
  • Federal prosecutors accuse Maduro and Flores of directing a campaign of political repression involving brutal interrogations, arbitrary detentions and the mistreatment of prisoners.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 28 Oct. 2026
  • On October 9, 2026, a federal district court ruled that the policy exceeds the Justice Department's authority, is arbitrary and capricious, and violates federal law.
    — Eric McDaniel, NPR, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of arbitrary
Adjective
  • One was secured by liquid assets and by equity in entities that own real estate, with indirect reliance on the value of the team.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2026
  • My testing resulted in a similarly indirect answer when asking about the 2024 presidential election, with Google’s AI telling me to just consult the FEC for that information.
    — Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of indirect
Adjective
  • Untangling the mystery Betelgeuse has long been known as a variable star, and recent breakthroughs are helping astronomers untangle its erratic behavior.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 3 Nov. 2026
  • The Clear Creek County Sheriff's Office says the closure was due to an erratic driver, and the interstate was closed at mile marker 243, east of the Veterans Memorial Tunnel by Idaho Springs.
    — Christa Swanson, CBS News, 31 Oct. 2026
Definition of erratic
Adjective
  • Stephenson’s storytelling finesse – clever reveals, discursive side quests, stealthy plot twists – shines in this robust tale of British journalist Owen and his globe-spanning search for a missing English earl in 1934.
    — Monitor reviewers, Christian Science Monitor, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The prolific, award-winning British author’s novels are often plotless, discursive and frustratingly obtuse.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of discursive

Browse Nearby Words

desultorily
desultory
detach
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Cite this Entry

“Desultory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desultory. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

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