desultory

1 lacking a definite plan, purpose, or pattern a desultory search for something of interest on TV Synonyms aimless, arbitrary, catch-as-catch-can, random, erratic, haphazard, helter-skelter, hit-or-miss, scattered, slapdash, strayRelated Words accidental, casual, chance, chancy, contingent, fluky (also flukey), fortuitous, inadvertent, incidental, lucky, unconsidered, unintended, unintentional, unplanned, unpremeditated; scattershot, shotgun; irregular, odd, sporadic, spot; directionless, objectless, purposeless; indiscriminate, unsystematic; undirected; disorderly, disorganized; undiscriminating, unselectiveNear Antonyms established, fixed, regular, set, stable, steady; constant, continuous, even; arranged, managed, orchestrated, ordered, planned; aware, conscious, deliberate, purposeful, thoughtful, willful (or wilful)Antonyms 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 discursive, digressional, digressionary, digressive, excursive, leaping, maundering, meandering, rambling, wanderingRelated Words circuitous, deviating, devious, indirect, roundaboutNear Antonyms coherent, consistent, logical; direct, focused (also focussed), straightforward, undeviating