consecutive
Americanadjective
-
following one another in uninterrupted succession or order; successive.
six consecutive numbers, such as 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.
- Synonyms:
- continuous
-
marked by logical sequence.
-
Grammar. expressing consequence or result.
a consecutive clause.
adjective
-
(of a narrative, account, etc) following chronological sequence
-
following one another without interruption; successive
-
characterized by logical sequence
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music another word for parallel
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grammar expressing consequence or result
consecutive clauses
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of consecutive
First recorded in 1605–15; consecut(ion) + -ive
Explanation
If things are consecutive, they happen one after the other with no break. If there are five consecutive snowstorms on five consecutive days, you'll have to shovel your way out on day six. Consecutive comes from the Latin consecutus, meaning "following closely" with no gap. Just like those snowstorms — one storm happened each day, back to back, for five days in a row. Consecutive numbers also follow each other, or advance in the right order. For example, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 are consecutive numbers. You should number the pages on a term paper to keep them consecutive so the teacher doesn't get confused.
Vocabulary lists containing consecutive
Essential Academic Vocabulary for High School Students, List 2
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List 4
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ACT Vocabulary List
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
At that point, the two sides had not exchanged strikes for a third consecutive day.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
But the S&P 500 and Nasdaq composite both fell last week for the second time in a row—their first consecutive weeks of declines since March, in the initial aftermath of the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
Oil prices tumbled on Monday amid a pause in strikes by the U.S. and Iran after 13 consecutive nights of attacks.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
US President Donald Trump on Monday voiced optimism at the prospects for a negotiated peace deal with Iran, as the two sides held their fire for a third consecutive day.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
By the time Gates dropped out of Harvard after his sophomore year to try his hand at his own software company, he’d been programming practically nonstop for seven consecutive years.
From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
