incessant
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of incessant
First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English incessaunte, from Late Latin incessant-, equivalent to Latin in- negative prefix + cessant- (stem of cessāns ), present participle of cessāre “to stop work”; see in- 3, cease, -ant
Explanation
Something incessant continues without interruption. When you're on a cross-country flight, it's tough to tolerate the incessant crying of a baby. In Latin, cessare means "to stop," so when you add the negative prefix in-, you get a word meaning "never stopping." A near synonym is continual, but something incessant is more relentless; ceaseless is a closer synonym. It's rare to find incessant used in a positive way. Even incessant sunshine would grow boring.
Vocabulary lists containing incessant
Do-Over: Words For Groundhog Day
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The Diary of a Young Girl
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List 8
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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.
There are also psychological and behavioral reasons why incessant checking of your portfolio occurs — and why it can be counterproductive.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 9, 2026
However, some dentists have told the BBC they are worried about the increasing number of young people they're seeing with dental problems caused by incessant gnashing.
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026
You know, that place at the end of the Padres’ incessant “Beat L.A.” chants.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026
It’s the saccharine cheeriness, affirming answers and incessant follow-up questions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
People drew away from the gate-keeper, and even the drummer stopped his incessant tattoo.
From "The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm" by Nancy Farmer
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
