consistent

American  

[kuhn-sis-tuhnt] / kənˈsɪs tənt /

adjective

1. agreeing or accordant; compatible; not self-contradictory.

   His views and actions are consistent.

   Synonyms:

   conformable, harmonious, consonant, congruous

2. constantly adhering to the same principles, course, form, etc..

   a consistent opponent.

3. holding firmly together; cohering.

4. Archaic. fixed; firm.

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consistent British  

/ kənˈsɪstənt /

adjective

1. showing consistency; not self-contradictory

2. in agreement or harmony; accordant

3. steady; even

   consistent growth

4. maths (of two or more equations) satisfied by at least one common set of values of the variables

   x + y = 4 and x – y = 2 are consistent

5. logic

   1. (of a set of statements) capable of all being true at the same time or under the same interpretation

   2. Also: sound.  (of a formal system) not permitting the deduction of a contradiction from the axioms Compare complete

6. obsolete stuck together; cohering

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Other Word Forms

• consistently adverb
• quasi-consistent adjective

Etymology

Origin of consistent

First recorded in 1565–75, consistent is from the Latin word consistent- (stem of consistēns, present participle of consistere ); see consist, -ent

Explanation

If you get the same Donkey Kong score every time you play, you're consistent. It's consistent with video-game addiction, however, that you will continue to play in the hopes of beating that score. Consistent is related to the word consist, which refers to what something is made of—"bread dough consists of flour, water, and salt." Consistency describes texture—a consistent consistency would be brownies as rock-hard in the center as they are at the edge––hopefully, next time you bake you'll get inconsistent results.

Example Sentences

Hemsley told investors Tuesday that the quarter had “unfolded largely as expected, reflecting actions taken in the past several months to drive consistent performance across each business.”

From Barron's • Apr. 21, 2026

School board member Nick Melvoin, who is co-sponsoring the resolution, agreed on the need to create a consistent student pipeline.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026

The accumulation of mutations with age turns out to be remarkably consistent across the animal kingdom.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026

Unlike earlier bot networks, these AI agents can coordinate instantly, respond to feedback, and maintain consistent narratives across thousands of accounts.

From Science Daily • Apr. 20, 2026

Their mathematical theories might be beautiful and consistent and might seem to explain the nature of the universe—and be utterly wrong.

From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife

Related Words

• dependable
• logical
• persistent
• rational
• steady
• true