as in rambling
passing from one topic to another
the speaker's discursive style made it difficult to understand his point
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Recent Examples of discursive
The concerto can appear undisciplined and discursive, with a running time of 70 minutes, a medley-like approach to style and a finale that brings in a male choir for a paean to nature.
—
Joshua Barone, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2024
Their discursive subjects might include an elevator speech to prep a significant other about the gaudiness of the family fortune.
—Melvin Backman, Quartz, 19 Nov. 2024
For all the discursive conversations about finding meaning in a dying world, this is still fundamentally a show where plot takes precedence over character.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 27 Oct. 2024
Although Pinker writes as a scientist, his approach in this book is discursive rather than deductive, charmingly but not quite persuasively advancing his ex cathedra views about life in general.
—Timothy Snyder, Foreign Affairs, 18 Dec. 2011
See All Example Sentences for discursive
Joshua Barone, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2024
Their discursive subjects might include an elevator speech to prep a significant other about the gaudiness of the family fortune.
—Melvin Backman, Quartz, 19 Nov. 2024
For all the discursive conversations about finding meaning in a dying world, this is still fundamentally a show where plot takes precedence over character.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 27 Oct. 2024
Although Pinker writes as a scientist, his approach in this book is discursive rather than deductive, charmingly but not quite persuasively advancing his ex cathedra views about life in general.
—Timothy Snyder, Foreign Affairs, 18 Dec. 2011
See All Example Sentences for discursive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for discursive
Adjective
-
In the early morning hours of Dec. 26, 1996, Patsy Ramsey called 911 to report her 6-year-old daughter JonBenét missing, and found a rambling ransom note left inside their Boulder, Colorado, home.—
Erin Moriarty,
CBS News,
20 Dec. 2024
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His statement came a day after the release of the Netflix series, which takes viewers back to the morning after Christmas 28 years ago, when JonBenét’s mother called 911 to report finding a rambling ransom note and her daughter missing.—
Elizabeth Chuck,
NBC News,
3 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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As the wandering Matthew, Rankin lets contrasting depictions of tentative homecoming and wondrous discovery play out on his face.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
15 Feb. 2025
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But much as the food is worth is worth your focus, so is the bar, set in a separate building out back that’s surrounded by a wandering Southern garden.—
Heidi Finley,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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They were supposed to begin indirect talks over the second phase last week, including negotiating an end to the war, the release of the remaining living hostages and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.—
Aaron Boxerman,
New York Times,
14 Feb. 2025
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Place the vase in a spot with bright, indirect light.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
13 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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In the pugilistic, digressive arena of a YouTube debate, advocates for the right are just more experienced at getting their point across.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
23 Jan. 2025
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Famously, his digressive speeches require deep immersion in right-wing lore to comprehend.—
Daniel Immerwahr,
The New Yorker,
20 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Discursive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/discursive. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
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