Definition of inconstancynext
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as in fluctuation
the frequent and usually sudden passing from one condition to another the inconstancy of public opinion is such that today's hero may be tomorrow's punching bag

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 inconstancy Scientific and engineering advances don't do well in the face of such wild swings and inconstancy. Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 18 Aug. 2025 Europeans, awakened to the danger of American inconstancy, are scrambling to spend trillions more on defense in coming years. Adam Rasmi, Time, 20 June 2025 Years of naval inconstancy with repair work drove Vigor Industrial—a once vibrant and growing maritime conglomerate—into the welcoming arms of hedge funds, which wasted no time in striping the company of value. Craig Hooper, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024 Here, Calabazas appears to be holding a toy windmill in one hand and, in the other, a miniature portrait of a woman, perhaps intended by Velázquez as a commentary on the inconstancy of love. Washington Post, 22 Feb. 2023 Due to his inconstancy and Angie’s growing attachment, their flimsy relationship operated on a timescale of eras coalescing into matters of historical record. Hannah Gold, Harper’s Magazine , 26 Oct. 2022 But, in the hands of the Fleet Foxes, the pastoral feels less like a particular zone in time and more like a space in which to parse ideas of self-reliance, the inconstancy of love, the pain of intimacy, the fear of loss, the sting of betrayal, and the strange but urgent project of hope. Brandon Taylor, The New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2022 Over the past 20 years, the United States has undermined its own global leadership by inconstancy. Damon Linker, The Week, 9 June 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inconstancy
Noun
  • Burden’s family legacy was fractured by infidelity and a laissez faire attitude, at least in the public sphere, toward men behaving badly.
    Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2026
  • During the documentary, the former couple also discussed Odom's infidelity.
    Ariana Quihuiz, PEOPLE, 31 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Women’s Health Network notes that hormonal fluctuations trigger cortisol release that actively derails the circadian sleep cycle, and women in this transition are more vulnerable to adrenal stress responses than at any other life stage.
    Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Hormonal fluctuations trigger cortisol release that derails the normal circadian sleep cycle, and women in this transition are more vulnerable to adrenal stress responses.
    Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 1 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The Bible teaches that lying, stealing, adultery and coveting your neighbor’s property are sins.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 16 Mar. 2026
  • The facile novelty of adultery is its own mask, a sexy way of dressing up a deep, frightened longing for security.
    Sara Holdren, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Since high-frequency acoustic oscillations can also be used to manipulate quantum states, phonon lasers could be deployed to study them in greater detail and open avenues for future quantum sensing and quantum computing.
    Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 30 Mar. 2026
  • The oscillations are influenced by the structure of the Sun's interior, which is defined by flows of plasma within the convective layer.
    Keith Cooper, Space.com, 26 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • While some conservatives have described the war as a betrayal, many other Republicans have cheered on the president’s actions.
    Michelle L. Price, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026
  • The result is a second victimization — spiritual betrayal by those called to protect.
    Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 29 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Pictures removed Azmoun later removed the pictures but was still lambasted on state TV on Thursday with soccer pundit Mohammad Misaghi saying the striker’s actions had been an act of disloyalty.
    Reuters, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026
  • Research on group dynamics shows that dissent is often interpreted as disloyalty rather than contribution.
    Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Any time there is a crisis in Iran, the 1953 British-American coup against Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh is dusted off as Exhibit A in the case against Western perfidy.
    Bobby Ghosh, Time, 5 Mar. 2026
  • But the mayor’s dramatic tale of his predecessor’s fiscal fiddling was designed with a clear political agenda in mind: both to underline the magnitude of the problem and to identify the villains responsible for this perfidy.
    Washington Post, Washington Post, 29 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Inconstancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inconstancy. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.

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