discontinuous

adjective

ˌdis-kən-ˈtin-yə-wəs How to pronounce discontinuous (audio)
Definition of discontinuousnext
as in sporadic
lacking in steadiness or regularity of occurrence the novel captures the discontinuous nature of a soldier's life: long stretches of boredom interrupted by flashes of action

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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 discontinuous Each take has this in and out that sounds discontinuous. — Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2025 When reinforced with discontinuous fibers, vitrimers, a class of plastic, can be reshaped repeatedly, crushed, and molded into new forms many times without their chemical structure degrading. — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2025 Increased spotting potential east of the PCT exists, however, these spots have low potential for spread due to sparse, discontinuous vegetation or they can be accessed and suppressed by firefighting resources. — Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 12 July 2025 But the fact that Flights is a novel seems somehow more true-to-life in the way that our lives, yours and mine, are discontinuous, fragmented, full of returns and departures, progress and regression. — Literary Hub, 16 July 2024 See All Example Sentences for discontinuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discontinuous
  1. sporadic
  2. intermittent
  3. occasional
  4. sudden
  5. irregular
Adjective
  • Not all are tankers; many operators are still deterred from using the strait because of sporadic Iranian drone attacks.
    — Charlotte Reck, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Players often arrive back from their summer breaks with a base level of fitness — enhanced by light and sporadic individual training during their holidays — and their natural athlete’s stamina.
    — George Edwards, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of sporadic
Adjective
  • Construction vehicles beeped and chugged, and the intermittent buzz of saws mixed with the clang of heavy equipment.
    — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Last Friday, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists’ published their most recent shortage update list naming the brands of estradiol patches on back order, intermittent back order, as well as those that are currently available.
    — Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of intermittent
Adjective
  • La Liga is a two-horse race, with occasional Atletico Madrid interruptions; Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga are Parisian and Bavarian cakewalks with rare exceptions.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The kids in The Shards might benefit from an occasional watchful eye, if only their parents weren’t vacationing in Europe indefinitely.
    — Rob Haskell, Vogue, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of occasional
Adjective
  • The sudden loss of mass means the strength of the primary star’s gravity drops suddenly, causing the secondary companion to get flung out into space at dizzying speeds.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 14 Aug. 2026
  • But the sudden reversal in many of its biggest stock bets, compounded by losses on the other side of its portfolio and the use of leverage, quickly turned into a liquidity crunch.
    — Yun Li, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of sudden
Adjective
  • If someone develops shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, confusion, an irregular heartbeat or other concerning symptoms after dry scooping, Sutton recommends seeking urgent or emergency medical care.
    — Dr. Onaola Adedeji, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Neither of them knew how much work lay ahead, and Don was a perfectionist, scribing each new board to fit as snugly as a puzzle piece against the irregular stone walls.
    — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of irregular

Browse Nearby Words

discontinuity
discontinuous
discontinuously
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Cite this Entry

“Discontinuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discontinuous. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of discontinuous for Spanish Speakers

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