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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 This eerie sensation is further enhanced by elliptical editing that seamlessly skips back and forth in time across the span of just a few days, creating a sense of fluidity across what should feel discontinuous. — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 15 Feb. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for discontinuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discontinuous
  1. sporadic
  2. intermittent
  3. occasional
  4. sudden
  5. irregular
Adjective
  • Credit goes to the cast, particularly Byrne and Gleeson, for internalizing their showy character quirks to such a degree that Sam’s limp, vision impairment, and sporadic stutter — yes, also a stutter!
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 12 Nov. 2026
  • McCord has had sporadic first-team reps in practice the first half of the season, according to Hafley, since Miami traded with Green Bay for him ahead of the season.
    — David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of sporadic
Adjective
  • In this light, Kanye West’s intermittent admiration for Hitler seems less an anomaly than an homage to a venerable tradition.
    — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 12 Nov. 2026
  • Users experiencing continued problems may still encounter intermittent access issues as Microsoft works through its recovery process.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 12 Nov. 2026
Definition of intermittent
Adjective
  • Medics and nurses here do simulations often, both to pass the Critical Care Academy, and also to stay up to date on occasional but critical events, like emergency births, newborn resuscitation, and burns.
    — Elaine Appleton-Grant, NPR, 8 Nov. 2026
  • But for Mao, the occasional allergic reaction is apparently a small price to pay for some quality cat time.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of occasional
Adjective
  • Sexton’s sudden departure forced Luka Doncic to re-enter a 20-point game.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 12 Nov. 2026
  • The scale-rich designs absorbed sudden, violent impacts without buckling, offered a massive range of tunable stiffness, and successfully cushioned delicate objects embedded deep inside them.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 12 Nov. 2026
Definition of sudden
Adjective
  • Look for irregular costs like insurance premiums, car repairs, medical expenses, annual subscription or membership fees, summer or spring break trips, back-to-school supplies, home maintenance or holiday gift shopping.
    — Jason Stauffer, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Her team found a 77% higher rate of irregular heartbeats during the six weeks around the 2016 election, compared with a control period.
    — Elizabeth Cooney, STAT, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of irregular

Browse Nearby Words

discontinuity
discontinuous
discontinuously
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Discontinuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discontinuous. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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