consecutive
Americanadjective
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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
Derived 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.
Staal has proved as much by becoming the first player in 53 years to score in five consecutive Stanley Cup Final games.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 13, 2026
Donald has captained the European team to two consecutive wins in the Ryder Cup and will be the first skipper to ever win three in a row if they are victorious in Ireland next year.
From BBC • Jun. 12, 2026
The Knicks had won 13 consecutive games to reach the NBA Finals, the second-longest unbeaten playoff run in league history.
From Salon • Jun. 11, 2026
This was initially driven by the energy price shock but there have been three consecutive better-than-expected jobs reports, they say.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026
The university’s football team had historically been a winning proposition, with an astonishing accomplishment to its credit—a record sixty-three consecutive games without a defeat between 1907 and 1917.
From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown
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.
