Definition of inconstancynext
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as in fluctuation
the frequent and usually sudden passing from one condition to another the inconstancy of public opinion is such that today's hero may be tomorrow's punching bag

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 inconstancy Scientific and engineering advances don't do well in the face of such wild swings and inconstancy. Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 18 Aug. 2025 Europeans, awakened to the danger of American inconstancy, are scrambling to spend trillions more on defense in coming years. Adam Rasmi, Time, 20 June 2025 Years of naval inconstancy with repair work drove Vigor Industrial—a once vibrant and growing maritime conglomerate—into the welcoming arms of hedge funds, which wasted no time in striping the company of value. Craig Hooper, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024 Here, Calabazas appears to be holding a toy windmill in one hand and, in the other, a miniature portrait of a woman, perhaps intended by Velázquez as a commentary on the inconstancy of love. Washington Post, 22 Feb. 2023 Due to his inconstancy and Angie’s growing attachment, their flimsy relationship operated on a timescale of eras coalescing into matters of historical record. Hannah Gold, Harper’s Magazine , 26 Oct. 2022 But, in the hands of the Fleet Foxes, the pastoral feels less like a particular zone in time and more like a space in which to parse ideas of self-reliance, the inconstancy of love, the pain of intimacy, the fear of loss, the sting of betrayal, and the strange but urgent project of hope. Brandon Taylor, The New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2022 Over the past 20 years, the United States has undermined its own global leadership by inconstancy. Damon Linker, The Week, 9 June 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inconstancy
Noun
  • Kristy alleged infidelity as the reason for the pair’s split, per court records previously obtained by PEOPLE.
    Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 27 Jan. 2026
  • An attorney retained by Andrew’s family told ABC7 that moments before the killing, Andrew read a diary entry in which his wife described engaging in infidelity.
    Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 24 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Microsoft 365 commercial cloud revenue increased 17% year over year (up 14% on a constant currency basis, which excludes foreign exchange fluctuations).
    Jeff Marks, CNBC, 29 Jan. 2026
  • Don’t use indoor cords outdoors in winter—or any other time of year for that matter—because they aren’t designed to handle moisture, sunlight, and temperature fluctuations and can be a fire hazard.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 27 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • The book presents itself as a comic take on the classic adultery novel and a send-up of a narrow, self-conscious group of downwardly mobile New Yorkers.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Jan. 2026
  • The initial batch of documents showed that Angela Paxton sought the divorce on the grounds that Ken Paxton had committed adultery, but included no additional details.
    S.E. Jenkins, CBS News, 19 Dec. 2025
Noun
  • That’s five times the oscillation degree of our other picks.
    Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 23 Jan. 2026
  • To quantify the system’s mechanical output, a sensor tracks the oscillation angle while an electromagnetic brake regulates shaft resistance to simulate varying power loads.
    Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 15 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • And in the scenario, guilt acts the emergency brake system and keeps you loyal to an outdated self story by framing change as betrayal.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
  • The story is set in the mid-2000s and centers on betrayal, both personal and political, culminating in a plot to assassinate late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il – father of current leader Kim Jong Un – by blowing up his train.
    Will Ripley, CNN Money, 21 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Research on group dynamics shows that dissent is often interpreted as disloyalty rather than contribution.
    Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
  • The courts have warned against treating dissent as disloyalty.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 12 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • More recently, an al Qaeda operative and suspected mastermind behind the 2000 USS Cole bombing — in which suicide bombers sidled up alongside a US warship, waved to the sailors and then detonated explosives — was charged with perfidy, among other crimes.
    Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 21 Jan. 2026
  • The report has raised concerns of perfidy, an act of deception by military forces.
    Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 13 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Inconstancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inconstancy. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.

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