Thesaurus
Synonyms & Antonyms of desultory
1
lacking a definite plan, purpose, or pattern
- a desultory search for something of interest on TV
Synonyms for desultory
Words Related to desultory
- accidental,
- casual,
- chance,
- chancy,
- contingent,
- fluky
- (also flukey),
- fortuitous,
- inadvertent,
- incidental,
- lucky,
- unconsidered,
- unintended,
- unintentional,
- unplanned,
- unpremeditated
Near Antonyms for desultory
- aware,
- conscious,
- deliberate,
- purposeful,
- thoughtful,
- willful
- (or wilful)
Antonyms for desultory
- methodical
- (also methodic),
- nonrandom,
- orderly,
- organized,
- regular,
- systematic,
- systematized
2
passing from one topic to another
- a desultory discussion about the news of the day
Synonyms for desultory
Words Related to desultory
Near Antonyms for desultory
- direct,
- focused
- (also focussed),
- straightforward,
- undeviating
Keep scrolling for more
Comments on desultory
What made you want to look up desultory? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Farm Idioms Quiz
- What does 'poke' refer to in the expression 'pig in a poke'?
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridgedWords at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
Share desultory
Time Traveler for desultory
The first known use of desultory was in 1581
See more words from the same year