Synonyms

Synonyms Home  --> Synonyms --> Thesaurus --> Continual

continual: happens frequently in time: close succession
continuous: uninterrupted

continual: The adjective continual has 2 senses (first 1 from tagged texts)

1. (4) continual -- (seemingly without interruption; chiefly restricted to what recurs regularly or frequently in a prolonged and closely spaced series; "the continual banging of the shutters")
2. continual -- (`continual' (meaning seemingly uninterrupted) is often used interchangeably with `continuous' (meaning without interruption))

-----------------------

Antonym: 2 senses of continual

Sense 1
continual (vs. sporadic) -- (seemingly without interruption; chiefly restricted to what recurs regularly or frequently in a prolonged and closely spaced series; "the continual banging of the shutters")

sporadic (vs. continual) -- (recurring in scattered and irregular or unpredictable instances; "a city subjected to sporadic bombing raids")
=> fitful, spasmodic -- (occurring in spells and often abruptly; "fitful bursts of energy"; "spasmodic rifle fire")
=> intermittent -- (stopping and starting at irregular intervals; "intermittent rain showers")
=> periodic -- (recurring or reappearing from time to time; "periodic feelings of anxiety")
=> irregular, unpredictable -- (not occurring at expected times)
=> isolated, stray -- (not close together in time; "isolated instances of rebellion"; "a stray bullet grazed his thigh")

Sense 2
continual -- (`continual' (meaning seemingly uninterrupted) is often used interchangeably with `continuous' (meaning without interruption))

INDIRECT (VIA continuous) -> discontinuous, noncontinuous -- (not continuing without interruption in time or space; "discontinuous applause"; "the landscape was a discontinuous mosaic of fields and forest areas"; "he received a somewhat haphazard and discontinuous schooling")