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
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
Current law, however, is discontinuous.
—Felix Salmon, Axios, 28 Mar. 2025
The fossil record is discontinuous at the Atapuerca site and in Western Europe as a whole, indicating that there were likely long periods without human presence.
—Evan Bush, NBC News, 12 Mar. 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
Jaime Moore-Carrillo, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 May 2025
Current law, however, is discontinuous.
—Felix Salmon, Axios, 28 Mar. 2025
The fossil record is discontinuous at the Atapuerca site and in Western Europe as a whole, indicating that there were likely long periods without human presence.
—Evan Bush, NBC News, 12 Mar. 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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Last winter was especially dry, and the monsoon was sporadic across the state this summer with above-normal temperatures.—
Hayleigh Evans,
AZCentral.com,
25 Sep. 2025
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Flowers nearly cover the plant in spring, followed by sporadic blooms throughout the season.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Advertisement There have also been intermittent drug shortages that have affected doctors’ ability to quickly treat pregnant people with syphilis, Finley says.—
Chantelle Lee,
Time,
26 Sep. 2025
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For a large utility like TVA, the exploration of fusion is part of a long-term strategy to identify reliable, on-demand, and non-emitting power sources that can operate alongside intermittent renewables like solar and wind.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Along the way, expect river views, a majestic fall color palette, and the occasional wildlife spotting.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Sep. 2025
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Even an occasional rodent will appear, probably the single visitor that caused the suspension of the entire operation.—
Irv Erdos,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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To judge from the sudden and rapid infiltration of artificial intelligence into every corner of our daily lives, these wishes are coming true.—
Gary Greenberg,
New Yorker,
27 Sep. 2025
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Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
27 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Discontinuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discontinuous. Accessed 3 Oct. 2025.
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