1
as in random
lacking a definite plan, purpose, or pattern
a desultory search for something of interest on TV
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rambling
passing from one topic to another
a desultory discussion about the news of the day
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of desultory
Yet, the Raptors haven’t made the playoffs in the desultory East since 2022, when Philadelphia dispatched them in the first round.
—
David Aldridge, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
Although the United States and its allies could deal with such ripostes, there would be no obvious military strategy to bring even a desultory exchange of strikes and counterstrikes to an end.
—Barry R. Posen, Foreign Affairs, 7 Sep. 2010
Daniel Gordon’s film focused on the 100-meter final at the Seoul Olympics, a race that was dominated by Ben Johnson, who then abdicated the crown after a positive steroid test, leaving Carl Lewis as the desultory victor.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2025
But the Academy really didn’t go for Revolutionary Road, which received a Supporting Actor nod for Michael Shannon (back row, 11th from right) and desultory nominations for Art Direction and Costume Design but nothing for Winslet or her co-star Leonardo DiCaprio.
—Zach Schonfeld, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for desultory
David Aldridge, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
Although the United States and its allies could deal with such ripostes, there would be no obvious military strategy to bring even a desultory exchange of strikes and counterstrikes to an end.
—Barry R. Posen, Foreign Affairs, 7 Sep. 2010
Daniel Gordon’s film focused on the 100-meter final at the Seoul Olympics, a race that was dominated by Ben Johnson, who then abdicated the crown after a positive steroid test, leaving Carl Lewis as the desultory victor.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2025
But the Academy really didn’t go for Revolutionary Road, which received a Supporting Actor nod for Michael Shannon (back row, 11th from right) and desultory nominations for Art Direction and Costume Design but nothing for Winslet or her co-star Leonardo DiCaprio.
—Zach Schonfeld, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for desultory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desultory
Adjective
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The entertainment space has shown us that, as random as couples may seem, the best thing is to expect the unexpected.—
Armon Sadler,
VIBE.com,
29 July 2025
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Training is a disciplined system, not a series of random workouts.—
Ludovic Gaudé,
Forbes.com,
29 July 2025
Adjective
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Refine your key points to be clear and concise—no rambling monologues.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
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In the early morning hours of Dec. 26, 1996, Patsy Ramsey called 911 to report her 6-year-old daughter JonBenét missing, and found a rambling ransom note left inside their Boulder, Colorado, home.—
Erin Moriarty,
CBS News,
20 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Misunderstood, wandering arachnids are often just in search of love.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
29 July 2025
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There, the swarm of thrill rides peppering 57 acres of the West Coast recharges his wandering soul, lending perspective to the winding road he’s traveled between Kentucky and California.—
Joe Sills,
Forbes,
14 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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The Florida court contrived a weird and arbitrary compromise, granting new sentencing hearings only to death row prisoners whose sentences were considered final after 2002, when the U.S. court issued a decision that was a precursor to Hurst’s.—
Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 July 2025
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Ultimately, Bae acknowledges, these classifications are somewhat arbitrary.—
Cody Cottier,
Discover Magazine,
26 July 2025
Adjective
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But the indirect benefits seem to reflect a posture against green energy, related to unbelief in climate change, and these lead to support for inefficient energy alternatives like nuclear and geothermal and gas-fired turbines.—
Ian Dexter Palmer,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
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The indirect talks over a U.S. proposal for a 60-day ceasefire are being held in Doha, but optimism that surfaced last week of a looming deal has largely faded, with both sides accusing each other of intransigence.—
Crispian Balmer,
USA Today,
13 July 2025
Adjective
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Between unfamiliar foods, erratic routines, and stress, your digestive system ends up overloaded and under-supported.—
Jordi Lippe-McGraw,
Forbes.com,
1 Aug. 2025
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But the series has met fan derision, whether over Carrie’s often typically erratic emotional behavior (chiding Miranda for eating her yogurt?—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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McPherson’s discursive humanism exactly suits both O’Reilly’s light directorial touch and the confident realism of his company of (largely) Irish actors.—
Helen Shaw,
New Yorker,
11 July 2025
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Set entirely in Linda’s Manhattan apartment, the film recreates that afternoon and the discursive exchange between the two.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
9 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Desultory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desultory. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
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