continual

con·tin·u·al
C3O1N1T1I1N1U1A1L1
/kənˈtɪnjuəl//kənˈtɪnjəl/

adjective

Recurring in steady, rapid succession.

“the continual noise of dogs' barking”

Similar
insistentrepetitiverunningperennialrecurrentrepeatedpersistentrelentless
Opposite
sporadic
OriginMiddle English continuel ← Old French continuel ← Latin continuus →
Less commonScrabble 11
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Meanings

adjectivecontinual (not comparable)

alternative continuall

  1. not comparableRecurring in steady, rapid succession.

    the continual noise of dogs' barking

    1 more example

    The history of this station is one of continual rebuilding.

    2022 January 12, Paul Bigland, “Fab Four: the nation's finest stations: Wakefield Kirkgate”, in RAIL, number 948, page 28
  2. not comparableproscribedSeemingly continuous; appearing to have no end or interruption.
  3. not comparableproscribedForming a continuous series.

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiverecurring regularly or frequently in a prolonged and closely spaced series

Similar
insistentrepetitiverunningperennialrecurrentrepeatedpersistentrelentlessunrelenting
Opposite
sporadic

adjectivehaving no interruptions

Similar
continuousuninterrupted
Also see
constantcontinuatecontinuousdreicheverlastingfrequentincessiveinsistentperennialpersistentrecurrentrecurringrelentlessrepeatedrepetitiverevenantrunningstilluninterruptedunrelenting

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latincontinuus“continuous”
  2. Old Frenchcontinuel
  3. Middle Englishcontinuel
  4. Englishcontinual

From Middle English continuel, from Old French continuel, formed from Latin continuus (“continuous”) with the suffix -el, equivalent to continue + -al.

More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian непрестанен, непрекъснат
  • непрестанен (neprestanen)recurring in steady, rapid succession
  • непрекъснат (neprekăsnat)appearing to have no end or interruption
  • непрекъснат (neprekăsnat)forming a continuous series
Greek εξακολουθητικός
  • εξακολουθητικός (exakolouthitikós)appearing to have no end or interruption
Irish gréasach, síoraí
  • gréasachappearing to have no end or interruption
  • síoraíappearing to have no end or interruption
Latin continens, iūgis
  • continensappearing to have no end or interruption
  • iūgisappearing to have no end or interruption
Māori hono
  • honoappearing to have no end or interruption
Polish bezustanny
  • bezustannyrecurring in steady, rapid succession
Russian непреры́вный
  • непреры́вный (neprerývnyj)appearing to have no end or interruption
Scottish Gaelic sìor
  • sìorappearing to have no end or interruption

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

inoculantunctional
Cite this entry
APA

continual. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/continual

MLA

“continual.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/continual. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “continual,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/continual.

Source: continual on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.