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.
For the past year or so, I’ve been tuned in to incessant chatter about cortisol, the hormone most famously associated with stress.
From Slate ● Oct. 9, 2026
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
The team would put the players up in hotel rooms with two beds, subjecting Freeman to the incessant clicking of Heyward texting.
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
As we walked through the city toward the park, we could hear the incessant banging of hammers and the wheezing of saws.
From "Dragonwings" by Laurence Yep
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.
