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
-
Trump’s April health report was the first extensive report on his health since 2018, though there were sporadic updates in the past few years.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Through his phone, Ron holds a portal into the unknown; a void filled with sporadic echoes and ostensible connections.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
That Stevenson had proposed a new method of producing intermittent light in lighthouses.—
Ayşegül Savaş,
New Yorker,
12 Oct. 2025
-
But in Pakistan’s Kurram area, intermittent gunfire continued, according to local officials and residents.—
Reuters,
CNN Money,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Besides the occasional random spider that scuttles indoors, some spiders can live in out-of-the-way spots in your home, such as along ceilings or in basements and behind clutter.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
11 Oct. 2025
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And yes, there were occasional hijinks spurred by youthful boredom and restlessness.—
Scott Huver,
PEOPLE,
11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
If travel is absolutely necessary, drive with caution and be prepared for sudden changes in conditions.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
12 Oct. 2025
-
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,
11 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Discontinuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discontinuous. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.
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