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View synonyms for

continual

[ kuhn-tin-yoo-uhl ]

adjective

  1. of regular or frequent recurrence; often repeated; very frequent:

    continual bus departures.

    Synonyms: , , ,

  2. happening without interruption or cessation; continuous in time.

    Synonyms: , , , , , , ,



continual

/ əˈɪʊə /

adjective

  1. recurring frequently, esp at regular intervals
  2. occurring without interruption; continuous in time
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Usage

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Confusables Note

Although usage guides generally advise that continual may be used only to mean “intermittent” and continuous only to mean “uninterrupted,” the words are used interchangeably in all kinds of speech and writing with no distinction in meaning: The president's life is under continual (or continuous ) scrutiny. Continuous (or continual ) bursts of laughter punctuated her testimony. The adverbs continually and continuously are also used interchangeably. To make a clear distinction between what occurs at short intervals and what proceeds without interruption, writers sometimes use the contrasting terms intermittent ( intermittent losses of power during the storm ) and uninterrupted ( uninterrupted reception during the storm ) or similar expressions. Continuous is not interchangeable with continual in the sense of spatial relationship: a continuous (not continual ) series of passages.
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Derived Forms

  • DzˌپԳˈٲ, noun
  • DzˈپԳܲ, adverb
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Other Word Forms

  • Dz·پu·i·ٲ Dz·پu··Ա noun
  • ܲȴ-Dz·پu· adjective
  • ܲȴ-Dz·پu··ly adverb
  • ܲcDz·پu· adjective
  • ܲcDz·پu··ly adverb
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Word History and Origins

Origin of continual1

First recorded in 1300–50; from Medieval Latin DzԳپԳ, equivalent to Latin continu(us) “uninterrupted” + - adjective suffix; replacing Middle English continuel, from Middle French, from Latin, as above; continuous, -al 1
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Word History and Origins

Origin of continual1

C14: from Old French continuel, from Latin continuus uninterrupted, from DzԳپŧ to hold together, contain
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

A spokesperson said it was "committed to listening to victims whilst working with partners across the criminal justice system in the continual improvement of the communication process".

From

And he otherwise impressed with tireless runs, fine hold-up play and continual pressing.

From

The junta, which has suffered continual and humiliating defeats and lost vast swathes of territory, is increasingly relying on air attacks to crush resistance to its rule.

From

“If California wants to continue to invest, that’s fine, but we in the Trump administration are going to take a look at whether this project is worthy of a continual investment.”

From

Frustrated by the continual ineffectiveness of firefighting efforts over the decades, both advocate for a more sophisticated understanding of fire and the ecosystems that foster urban and wildland blazes.

From

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contingent workercontinually