non sequitur

noun

Definition of non sequiturnext
as in tangent
a statement that is not connected in a logical or clear way to anything said before it We were talking about the new restaurant when she threw in some non sequitur about her dog.

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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 non sequitur The non sequiturs, or seeming non sequiturs (like Carol moonlighting as a baseball umpire despite having little knowledge of baseball) abound. — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 27 Feb. 2026 Brown kept getting sidetracked with tangents and non sequiturs, on topics both momentous and random. — Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 25 Feb. 2026 These sequences can be beguilingly attractive, but their inclusions are complete non sequiturs — blink-and-you’ll-miss-it digressions toward a more engaging film. — Blake Simons, IndieWire, 18 Feb. 2026 Some, like the rapper, passed with flying colors, while others weren't sure what to make of the non sequitur. — Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 11 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for non sequitur
Recent Examples of Synonyms for non sequitur
  1. tangent
  2. nonsense
  3. bunk
  4. absurdity
Noun
  • After the event was disrupted by an armed intruder, the Administration and the association scheduled a July do-over, where Trump delivered a rambling speech indulging seemingly every tangent that sprang to mind, but his contempt remained apparent.
    — Jelani Cobb, New Yorker, 27 Sep. 2026
  • That got Cristobal off on a tangent about the type of players that UM targets.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of tangent
Noun
  • The bloc also roped Canada into this nonsense, and recently asked Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to dial the generosity up a notch, according to Politico.
    — Rachel Marsden, Hartford Courant, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The jokes and nonsense started almost as soon as the first rumors trickled out that Jay, whose company Roc Nation has executive-produced the Super Bowl halftime show since 2019, might be choosing himself to headline next year’s show.
    — Simon Vozick-Levinson, Rolling Stone, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of nonsense
Noun
  • The well-size main bedroom has leafy views and another decorative fireplace, although the person doing the listing’s photos has oddly chosen to hide it behind a bed; the second bedroom can easily handle a bunk-bed situation plus a sideboard.
    — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The 19th century is long gone; phrenology is and was always bunk—so what lesson can the specimens teach me?
    — Daniel Barnum, Longreads, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of bunk
Noun
  • Even amid so many absurdities, one of the strangest things that happens this week is Rainbeau suddenly developing an English accent.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 27 Oct. 2026
  • For all the absurdity, though, the award carries considerable weight — even if the timing is bittersweet.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of absurdity

Browse Nearby Words

nonsequential
non sequitur
non sequiturs
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Cite this Entry

“Non sequitur.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/non%20sequitur. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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