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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Recent Examples of discontinuous
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
Spread in thin, discontinuous bands across a few miles of terrain, the ancient material is a challenge to identify and even harder to access.
—Ella Jeffries, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 May 2025
The city of almost 52,000, carved into discontinuous clumps by unincorporated land, straddles the Denton-Collin county line.
▪ Anna, also in Collin, is a 30 minute drive east of Celina.
—Jaime Moore-Carrillo, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 May 2025
As the pressure to decarbonize electricity grids mounts, so does the need to have long-term storage options for power generated from renewables—especially for sources like wind and solar, which have discontinuous availability.
—IEEE Spectrum, 15 Apr. 2022
See All Example Sentences for discontinuous
Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 12 July 2025
Spread in thin, discontinuous bands across a few miles of terrain, the ancient material is a challenge to identify and even harder to access.
—Ella Jeffries, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 May 2025
The city of almost 52,000, carved into discontinuous clumps by unincorporated land, straddles the Denton-Collin county line.
▪ Anna, also in Collin, is a 30 minute drive east of Celina.
—Jaime Moore-Carrillo, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 May 2025
As the pressure to decarbonize electricity grids mounts, so does the need to have long-term storage options for power generated from renewables—especially for sources like wind and solar, which have discontinuous availability.
—IEEE Spectrum, 15 Apr. 2022
See All Example Sentences for discontinuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discontinuous
Adjective
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But Fontecchio has been in and out of the rotation, and Johnson has played only sporadic minutes this season.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
11 Mar. 2026
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Kilauea is among the world’s most active volcanoes, with sporadic flare-ups since December 2024.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The gray, white, and blue stripes, accented with an intermittent chevron pattern, add interest, while moderate distressing helps disguise everyday wear and tear.—
Shea Simmons,
Southern Living,
6 Mar. 2026
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Industry insiders have spoken of intermittent communication from Noma buyers and have alluded to them pitting farmers against each other in pursuit of better prices.—
Emily Wilson,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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When the music did start, with only two band members in tow (and some occasional backing tracks), that drummer mostly used mallets, and stuck toward accents more than beats, to keep things to the hushed mode she’s known for.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
5 Mar. 2026
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Although police conduct occasional drug busts, the area remains one of the city’s largest open-air drug markets.—
Brittny Mejia,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The device could also be used to damp vibrations in aerospace vehicles, ships, and aircraft, and to provide a shield for sensitive military hardware and scientific instruments that are vulnerable to sudden shock.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Mar. 2026
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Leave plenty of distance between you and the vehicle in front of you to account for sudden stops or changes in the traffic pattern.—
KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT,
Kansas City Star,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Contractors or others with irregular income should have bigger cash buffers.—
Christine Benz,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
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The irregular migrants, asylum seekers, refugees and undocumented migrants, precariously – and often fatally – trying to reach Europe in anything afloat, desperate in search of a better life.—
Thinus Ferreira,
Variety,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Discontinuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discontinuous. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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