1
as in random
lacking a definite plan, purpose, or pattern
a desultory search for something of interest on TV
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Recent Examples of desultory
The presence of Notre Dame, the presence of Hannah Hidalgo, who had torched UConn twice before and is also in the national player-of-the-year conversation, the memory of a desultory loss in South Bend a year ago were enough to stoke Strong on Monday night.
—
Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 20 Jan. 2026
Once more, police made desultory enquiries and soon lost interest, their investigative resources stretched thin by a recent string of bombings in London by Irish republican extremists.
—Literary Hub, 16 Jan. 2026
Conversation at Mels Diner is desultory and disinclined to matters so impractical, uncomfortable.
—David Searcy, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
In a somewhat desultory Virginia childhood, fishing with my father was a recurring motif.
—AFAR Media, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for desultory
Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 20 Jan. 2026
Once more, police made desultory enquiries and soon lost interest, their investigative resources stretched thin by a recent string of bombings in London by Irish republican extremists.
—Literary Hub, 16 Jan. 2026
Conversation at Mels Diner is desultory and disinclined to matters so impractical, uncomfortable.
—David Searcy, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
In a somewhat desultory Virginia childhood, fishing with my father was a recurring motif.
—AFAR Media, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for desultory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desultory
Adjective
-
Fans who registered for the first drop of tickets but did not receive a time slot and fans who did not buy their maximum 12 general ticket allotment will automatically be entered into the random lottery Drop 2.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Pearce must continue treatment, submit to random drug tests and follow the NFL’s testing protocol.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The rambling, low-slung building, containing 200 rooms, including 36 suites, is easy to get lost in.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Trump lashed out at them and Tucker in a long, rambling social media post earlier this month.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
There are a few, scattered references to female gladiators.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Within minutes of leaving town, the pavement twists downward through tight turns and steep grades as the mountain air begins to warm, the vegetation giving way to chaparral and scattered juniper, then to the stark silhouettes of ocotillo and Mojave yucca.—
Josh Jackson,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Like Fox Lake mom Priscilla Marshall, 34, whose 11-year-old son was found wandering village streets last month, bloody and beaten, authorities said.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
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The adventurous rapper and producer take a more refined approach on a collaborative album full of wandering thoughts and odd, understated beats.—
Stephen Kearse,
Pitchfork,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The European Union first sanctioned him in 2008, and imposed parallel sanctions in 2022 over the use of live ammunition, arbitrary detention of protesters and journalists, and the violent suppression of demonstrations.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
20 Apr. 2026
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But at the meeting, there was an admission that that number was an arbitrary figure.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The port says the reintroduction of cruising to Philadelphia is projected to generate 2,185 direct and indirect jobs and approximately $300 million in annual economic output throughout the state.—
Christopher Edwards,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
-
Most, though, sprout reliably and prefer indirect light.—
Barbara Gillette,
The Spruce,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Roughly 61% say Trump has become more erratic with age, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released in February.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2026
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Cuomo and other employees were concerned by Fahim’s bizarre and erratic behavior — along with his poor personal hygiene — and unsuccessfully tried to get the leaders of the firm to fire him.—
Sean Emery,
Oc Register,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The temporary and discursive structure allowed global visibility without institutional permanence.—
Daniel Birnbaum,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Real Man Adventures isn’t broken up into chapter-length sections of narrative, but rather brief, discursive essays.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Desultory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desultory. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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