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 problem is that leadership almost always represents a discontinuous shift.
—
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic,
Forbes.com,
20 Jan. 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
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
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic,
Forbes.com,
20 Jan. 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
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
Adjective
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The only other competitors were the Anglo-French Concorde and the sporadic Soviet Tupolev Tu-144 program.
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Redevelopment in downtown Miami and the accidental discovery of the mysterious Miami Circle in 1998 have ushered in a quarter-century of sporadic but remarkable archaeological revelations.
Adjective
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Expanding its use displaces coal in Asia and supports the integration of intermittent renewables by providing flexible backup.
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Research has shown, for example, that intermittent fasting may be as effective as low-calorie diets for weight loss.
Adjective
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Luke Russert joined his father for major political conventions and occasional shows on the road, Fischer Martin said.
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This frequent, high-profile casting strategy, distinct from occasional star cameos, transforms 'Oh, Mary' into a dynamic, high-demand theatrical experience.
Adjective
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Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches.
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Small Holes One sign of snakes in your garden could be the sudden appearance of small holes that could be about the size of a small coin, or up to two inches.
Adjective
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The pope’s visit comes just two weeks after the European Union began implementing a new set of rules governing how each of its 27 member states will deal with irregular migration and asylum seekers.
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And studies have shown that the primary incentive for irregular migration is jobs for the parents, not birthright citizenship for their children.
Cite this Entry
“Discontinuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discontinuous. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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