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
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Recent Examples of discontinuous
Spread in thin, discontinuous bands across a few miles of terrain, the ancient material is a challenge to identify and even harder to access.
—
Ella Jeffries, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 May 2025
The city of almost 52,000, carved into discontinuous clumps by unincorporated land, straddles the Denton-Collin county line.
▪ Anna, also in Collin, is a 30 minute drive east of Celina.
—Jaime Moore-Carrillo, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 May 2025
Current law, however, is discontinuous.
—Felix Salmon, Axios, 28 Mar. 2025
As the pressure to decarbonize electricity grids mounts, so does the need to have long-term storage options for power generated from renewables—especially for sources like wind and solar, which have discontinuous availability.
—IEEE Spectrum, 15 Apr. 2022
See All Example Sentences for discontinuous
Ella Jeffries, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 May 2025
The city of almost 52,000, carved into discontinuous clumps by unincorporated land, straddles the Denton-Collin county line.
▪ Anna, also in Collin, is a 30 minute drive east of Celina.
—Jaime Moore-Carrillo, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 May 2025
Current law, however, is discontinuous.
—Felix Salmon, Axios, 28 Mar. 2025
As the pressure to decarbonize electricity grids mounts, so does the need to have long-term storage options for power generated from renewables—especially for sources like wind and solar, which have discontinuous availability.
—IEEE Spectrum, 15 Apr. 2022
See All Example Sentences for discontinuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discontinuous
Adjective
-
During Galliano’s tenure, Maison Margiela shows were sporadic.—
Miles Socha,
Footwear News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
However, sporadic light supplementation means that adjusting fertilizer use is sensible if plant growth slows.—
Gemma Johnstone,
The Spruce,
8 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
How the Study Worked In the study, 72 inactive adults with panic disorder who weren’t taking medications as treatment completed a 12-week program of brief intermittent intense exercise or relaxation training.—
Tom Gavin,
EverydayHealth.com,
11 Feb. 2026
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Due to its durability and rapid response time, the team expects the technology to be used to stabilize power grids and manage the intermittent output of renewable energy sources.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Scam centers proliferating as criminal gangs flout laws In Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, a failure to consistently enforce laws against human trafficking, labor abuses and criminal activities have allowed cyber-scam centers to flourish despite occasional crackdowns, the report noted.—
Elaine Kurtenbach,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
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While occasional scooting can happen, recurring episodes usually signal an underlying issue with anal glands.—
Kasey Caminiti,
USA Today,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Instead of analyzing every detail in a scene, the human brain quickly detects sudden motion or change and reacts first.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Feb. 2026
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Demand for cross-border relocation, residency planning and citizenship consultancy services is being driven by geopolitical tensions and sudden policy shifts, advisers who work with ultra-high-net-worth clients told CNBC.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The distinctive lifestyle of elite athletes can create a hotbed for eating disorders and disordered eating, meaning restrictive, compulsive, irregular or inflexible eating patterns, all of which can occur on a spectrum.—
Emily Hemendinger,
The Conversation,
13 Feb. 2026
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Some of the more common symptoms, such as irregular periods and hot flashes, are more obvious.—
Jocelyn Solis-Moreira,
Flow Space,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Discontinuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discontinuous. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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