Definition of incessantnext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word incessant different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of incessant are constant, continual, continuous, perennial, and perpetual. While all these words mean "characterized by continued occurrence or recurrence," incessant implies ceaseless or uninterrupted activity.

annoyed by the incessant quarreling

When can constant be used instead of incessant?

In some situations, the words constant and incessant are roughly equivalent. However, constant implies uniform or persistent occurrence or recurrence.

lived in constant pain

When could continual be used to replace incessant?

The words continual and incessant are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, continual often implies a close prolonged succession or recurrence.

continual showers the whole weekend

When is it sensible to use continuous instead of incessant?

Although the words continuous and incessant have much in common, continuous usually implies an uninterrupted flow or spatial extension.

football's oldest continuous rivalry

Where would perennial be a reasonable alternative to incessant?

While the synonyms perennial and incessant are close in meaning, perennial implies enduring existence often through constant renewal.

a perennial source of controversy

When would perpetual be a good substitute for incessant?

The words perpetual and incessant can be used in similar contexts, but perpetual suggests unfailing repetition or lasting duration.

a land of perpetual snowfall

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 incessant Mother’s Day hawking is incessant in every aspect of world communication. Laura Washington, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2026 Miller’s incessant needling caused John Starks to headbutt him in Game 3 of their first-round series in 1993. Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2026 Rumors — vague, unsubstantiated — were a source of incessant dirt-dishing among political insiders and also circulated extensively online. Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2026 The plot attends both to twentieth-century horrors, such as Ukraine’s Holodomor, and to what Reed saw coming, in social media’s incessant threat to our inner life. Stephanie Burt, New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for incessant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for incessant
Adjective
  • The third-year students spent nearly a year developing and refining the engine, which runs through continuous rotating explosions in a circular chamber.
    Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 18 May 2026
  • That idea is at the center of Continuous Detection, Continuous Response (CDCR), a new framework implemented through Mate Security’s platform for converging those functions into a single continuous cycle.
    K.H. Koehler, USA Today, 18 May 2026
Adjective
  • Her duties as head of the LVMH Prize for Young Designers bring her in continual contact with new names, some of whom win one of the three prizes and some — such as Virgil Abloh and Demna — do not but nevertheless develop major careers.
    WWD Staff, Footwear News, 14 May 2026
  • The same ecosystem that rewards luxury also demands its continual maintenance, creating a pressure loop where image, income, and identity collapse into one another and can lead to poor decisions.
    Shelby Stewart, Essence, 12 May 2026
Adjective
  • What Iran proposes would be something of a digital toll road where cables that cross in or near its waters must pay to ensure continued operation.
    Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 17 May 2026
  • Her attorneys claim the company refused and continued distributing televisions featuring the packaging.
    Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 16 May 2026
Adjective
  • Officials said overnight enforcement will focus on common and continuing offenses such as commercial vehicles parked in residential areas and permit violations.
    Michelle Deal-Zimmerman, Baltimore Sun, 6 Mar. 2025
  • State of the labor market Initial weekly unemployment insurance claims have held in a fairly steady range around 220,000, though continuing claims earlier in November had hit their highest level in about three years.
    Jeff Cox, CNBC, 5 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Fewer cheap nonstop flights may make connections more common again, especially in cities where Spirit once operated heavily, potentially adding travel time but lowering ticket prices.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 May 2026
  • The best flowers for small-space spring gardening Petunias are a workhorse — great for pots, hanging baskets and nonstop color all season.
    Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 13 May 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Incessant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/incessant. Accessed 21 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on incessant

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster