discontinuous

adjective

ˌdis-kən-ˈtin-yə-wəs How to pronounce discontinuous (audio)
Definition of discontinuousnext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 discontinuous This eerie sensation is further enhanced by elliptical editing that seamlessly skips back and forth in time across the span of just a few days, creating a sense of fluidity across what should feel discontinuous. — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 15 Feb. 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 Increased spotting potential east of the PCT exists, however, these spots have low potential for spread due to sparse, discontinuous vegetation or they can be accessed and suppressed by firefighting resources. — Ca Wildfire Bot, Sacbee.com, 12 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for discontinuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discontinuous
  1. sporadic
  2. intermittent
  3. occasional
  4. sudden
  5. irregular
Adjective
  • Bahrain and Kuwait, which have continued to face sporadic Iranian attacks, will have the lowest staffing of the Gulf embassies, with three-quarters of Foreign Service members returning.
    — Shelby Talcott, semafor.com, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Attacks on Kenscoff have escalated The first major attack on Kenscoff occurred in January 2025, and since then, there have been sporadic attacks in the mountains surrounding the city center.
    — Pierre-Richard Luxama, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of sporadic
Adjective
  • With intermittent rain in the forecast over the next week, some sessions could be rescheduled or delayed for hours, corralling fans and shortening the time players have to recover for their next round.
    — Aaron Short, Curbed, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The project is designed to turn intermittent solar generation into a more dependable power source.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of intermittent
Adjective
  • There are occasional non-permanent exhibitions relating to architecture and design.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Their Conan is the host for the Oscars, a podcast host, a voice in Toy Story 5, a world traveler, an occasional actor, and many other things.
    — Emily Palmer Heller, Vulture, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of occasional
Adjective
  • Officials are still investigating the exact cause, though preliminary assessments suggest an ice avalanche may have blocked a river upstream in Tibet, triggering the sudden outburst flood.
    — Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The concierge can be contacted via WhatsApp, but response times can be slow during varying rush hours; for example, a sudden tropical rainstorm might inspire half the resort to call in for room service.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of sudden
Adjective
  • The infection caused an irregular heart rhythm, and doctors decided to temporarily implant a pacemaker.
    — Stefania Conrieri, Vanity Fair, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Pearls, for example, are showing up oversized, irregular and imperfect rather than small and uniform.
    — Casey DelBasso, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of irregular

Browse Nearby Words

discontinuity
discontinuous
discontinuously
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Discontinuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discontinuous. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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