continual
adjective
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Since the mid-19th century, many grammarians have drawn a distinction between continual and continuous. Continual should only mean "occurring at regular intervals," they insist, whereas continuous should be used to mean "continuing without interruption." This distinction overlooks the fact that continual is the older word and was used with both meanings for centuries before continuous appeared on the scene. Today, continual is the more likely of the two to mean "recurring," but it also continues to be used, as it has been since the 14th century, with the meaning "continuing without interruption."
Examples of continual in a Sentence
Lawrence D. Freedman, Foreign Affairs, 14 Apr. 2025
With continual breaking headlines about romance scams and serial catfishers, people are becoming more cautious online, calling for better security and authenticity guardrails.
—Quora, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025
This fosters self-reflection and promoting continual improvement in their leadership abilities.
—Betsy Pudliner, The Conversation, 10 Apr. 2025
Kumar said that even influencers tend to rely on traditional media to provide high-quality news clips and pointed to the generous staffing and commitment needed to cover the White House on a continual basis.
—Haisten Willis, The Washington Examiner, 6 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for continual
Cite this Entry
“Continual.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/continual. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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continual
adjective
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