non sequitur

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 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 Tracy’s dialogue, though absent the staccato non sequiturs of the director’s earlier work, has a bracing nastiness; every visual flourish and every menacing thrum of the score, by Jerskin Fendrix, escalates the intensity of Stone and Plemons’s bravura showdown. Justin Chang, New Yorker, 24 Oct. 2025 Long before Neeson would inherit the detective badge and a full clip of non sequiturs, Paramount announced Ed Helms would be taking on the Drebin role in 2013 with writers behind the Night at the Museum movies providing a script to revitalize the Naked Gun franchise. Chris Lee, Vulture, 4 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for non sequitur
Recent Examples of Synonyms for non sequitur
Noun
  • In contrast to this, in regions dominated by shock waves, magnetic fields are orientated at tangents.
    Robert Lea, Space.com, 21 July 2026
  • That's what happens when your star insults moviegoers or goes off on tangents about the characters's sexuality.
    Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026
Noun
  • In any organization, roughly 20% are adopters who are bought in and know how to implement the change; about 70% believe in it but have no idea how to execute it; and 10% are detractors who think the whole thing is nonsense.
    Dr. Marcus Collins, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
  • Even after watching replays, the ref stuck with his original call that Mbappe had initiated the contact, which was palpable nonsense.
    Graham Scott, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Noun
  • Air New Zealand is offering bunk rentals on its longest flight from New York to Auckland.
    Scott Laird, Travel + Leisure, 22 July 2026
  • The boutique property in Williamsburg, Virginia, offers 22 rooms, including bunk rooms ideal for families and the General’s Quarters that features a kitchenette and separate bedroom.
    Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 21 July 2026
Noun
  • All of this absurdity is underscored by the fact that James chose the Sixers.
    Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 24 July 2026
  • All sorts of factors—religious fervor, drug trips, the absurdities of aging—an unmoor a person’s mind and spirit.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 July 2026

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

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