incessant

adjective

in·​ces·​sant (ˌ)in-ˈse-sᵊnt 

: continuing or following without interruption : unceasing

Synonyms

• ceaseless
• continual
• continued
• continuing
• continuous
• nonstop
• perpetual
• running
• unbroken
• unceasing
• uninterrupted
• unremitting

Choose the Right Synonym for incessant

continual, continuous, constant, incessant, perpetual, perennial mean characterized by continued occurrence or recurrence.

continual often implies a close prolonged succession or recurrence.

continual showers the whole weekend

continuous usually implies an uninterrupted flow or spatial extension.

football's oldest continuous rivalry

constant implies uniform or persistent occurrence or recurrence.

lived in constant pain

incessant implies ceaseless or uninterrupted activity.

annoyed by the incessant quarreling

perpetual suggests unfailing repetition or lasting duration.

a land of perpetual snowfall

perennial implies enduring existence often through constant renewal.

a perennial source of controversy

Examples of incessant in a Sentence

Much of the early motor development of the child depends on learning and refining such procedures, through play, imitation, trial and error, and incessant rehearsal. —Oliver Sacks, New Yorker, 24 Sept. 2007

Magna Carta also stipulated that the shire courts should meet as royal courts under the itinerant justices more often than twice a year—a change, convenient to the landed classes and their incessant civil actions, that was not implemented because of the cost to the Crown. —Norman F. Cantor, Imagining the Law, 1997

Whatever Stalin's ancestry, his biographers, Robert Tucker in particular, have concluded that his unfortunate childhood experiences, including incessant, murderous beatings by his drunken father, were probably what caused his pathological behaviour. —Amy Knight, Times Literary Supplement, 26 Apr. 1991

the incessant noise from an outside repair crew was a real distraction during the test

Recent Examples on the Web

The Steelers chose Terry Bradshaw, who could have solved their incessant quarterback confusion. —Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 2 Dec. 2024

Even your aging parents’ incessant demands are motivated by something that perhaps has not surfaced yet. —Carolyn Rosenblatt, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024

Studies have shown that incessant noise disrupts people’s lives. —Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 23 Nov. 2024

And incessant Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities, town and villages, have left at least 12,162 civilians dead since the start of the full-scale invasion, with the total number of civilian casualties (those killed and injured) near 40 thousand, according to the recent report by the UN Human Rights. —Katya Soldak, Forbes, 19 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English incessaunt, from Late Latin incessant-, incessans, from Latin in- + cessant-, cessans, present participle of cessare to delay — more at cease

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

incessant

adjective

in·​ces·​sant (ˈ)in-ˈses-ᵊnt 

: going on and on : not stopping or letting up

incessantly adverb