Trends of
desultory

View usage for:

desultory

(desəltri, US -tɔːri)

adjective

Something that is desultory is done in an unplanned and disorganized way, and without enthusiasm.

[formal]

The constables made a desultory attempt to keep them away from the barn.

Synonyms: random, vague, irregular, loose More Synonyms of desultory

desultorily (desəltrɪli, US -tɔːrɪli) graded adverb [ADVERB with verb]

The man continued talking. She answered him desultorily.

desultory in British English

(ˈdɛsəltərɪ, -trɪ)

adjective

passing or jumping from one thing to another, esp in a fitful way; unmethodical; disconnected

occurring in a random or incidental way; haphazard

a desultory thought

Derived forms

desultorily (ˈdesultorily)

adverb

desultoriness (ˈdesultoriness)

noun

Word origin

C16: from Latin dēsultōrius, relating to one who vaults or jumps, hence superficial, from dēsilīre to jump down, from de- + salīre to jump

desultory in American English

(ˈdɛsəlˌtɔri; also ˈdɛzəlˌtɔri)

adjective

passing from one thing to another in an aimless way; disconnected; not methodical

a desultory conversation

lacking direct relevance; random; incidental

a desultory observation

SIMILAR WORDS: ˈrandom

Derived forms

desultorily (ˈdesulˌtorily)

adverb

desultoriness (ˈdesulˌtoriness)

noun

Word origin

L desultorius < desultor, vaulter < desultus, pp. of desilire, to leap down < de-, down, from + salire, to leap: see salient

Examples of 'desultory' in a sentence
desultory

Since then desultory efforts have been made to secure the return of this plundered piece of history.So long as you keep moving in a desultory fashion, you are left alone.The second half was as poor as any in recent years; a desultory affair noteworthy only for its tedium.I left them idling about, or feeding in the same desultory way.I have done my duty,' and he thought in a vague and desultory manner about rectangular fields until they reached the top.

(adjective) in the sense of random

Definition

occurring in a random way

We made some desultory conversation while we waited for the bus.

Synonyms

random

The order of events seemed totally random.

vague

His description of the events was very vague.

irregular

She was suffering from an irregular heartbeat.

loose

We came to some sort of loose arrangement before he went home.

rambling

He wrote a rambling letter to his sister.

inconsistent

You are inconsistent and unpredictable.

erratic

the erratic nature of our recent weather

disconnected

haphazard

The investigation does seem haphazard.

cursory

I gave the letter a fairly cursory reading.

aimless

After several hours of aimless driving they were getting low on fuel.

off and on

fitful

He drifted off into a fitful sleep.

spasmodic

My husband's work was so spasmodic.

discursive

The book is characterized by a reflective, discursive style.

unsystematic

inconstant

maundering

unmethodical

Additional synonyms

in the sense of aimless

Definition

having no purpose or direction

After several hours of aimless driving they were getting low on fuel.

Synonyms

purposeless,

random,

stray,

pointless,

erratic,

wayward,

frivolous,

chance,

goalless,

haphazard,

vagrant,

directionless,

unguided,

undirected

in the sense of cursory

Definition

hasty and usually superficial

I gave the letter a fairly cursory reading.

Synonyms

brief,

passing,

rapid,

casual,

summary,

slight,

hurried,

careless,

superficial,

hasty,

perfunctory,

desultory,

offhand,

slapdash

in the sense of discursive

Definition

passing from one topic to another

The book is characterized by a reflective, discursive style.

Synonyms

digressive,

loose,

rambling,

roundabout,

diffuse,

meandering,

desultory,

long-winded,

circuitous,

prolix

Nearby words of
desultory

destruction
destructive
desuetude
desultory
detach
detach yourself from something
detached

Synonyms of 'desultory'

desultory

Explore 'desultory' in the dictionary

单词	desultory
释义	Trends of desultory View usage for: desultory (desəltri, US -tɔːri) adjective Something that is desultory is done in an unplanned and disorganized way, and without enthusiasm. [formal] The constables made a desultory attempt to keep them away from the barn. Synonyms: random, vague, irregular, loose More Synonyms of desultory desultorily (desəltrɪli, US -tɔːrɪli) graded adverb [ADVERB with verb] The man continued talking. She answered him desultorily. desultory in British English (ˈdɛsəltərɪ, -trɪ) adjective 1. passing or jumping from one thing to another, esp in a fitful way; unmethodical; disconnected 2. occurring in a random or incidental way; haphazard a desultory thought Derived forms desultorily (ˈdesultorily) adverb desultoriness (ˈdesultoriness) noun Word origin C16: from Latin dēsultōrius, relating to one who vaults or jumps, hence superficial, from dēsilīre to jump down, from de- + salīre to jump desultory in American English (ˈdɛsəlˌtɔri; also ˈdɛzəlˌtɔri) adjective 1. passing from one thing to another in an aimless way; disconnected; not methodical a desultory conversation 2. lacking direct relevance; random; incidental a desultory observation SIMILAR WORDS: ˈrandom Derived forms desultorily (ˈdesulˌtorily) adverb desultoriness (ˈdesulˌtoriness) noun Word origin L desultorius < desultor, vaulter < desultus, pp. of desilire, to leap down < de-, down, from + salire, to leap: see salient Examples of 'desultory' in a sentence desultory Since then desultory efforts have been made to secure the return of this plundered piece of history. Times, Sunday Times (2014) So long as you keep moving in a desultory fashion, you are left alone. Atterbury, Paul Exploring Britain's Canals (1994) The second half was as poor as any in recent years; a desultory affair noteworthy only for its tedium. Times, Sunday Times (2010) I left them idling about, or feeding in the same desultory way. Times, Sunday Times (2008) I have done my duty,' and he thought in a vague and desultory manner about rectangular fields until they reached the top. Patrick O'Brian The Catalans (adjective) in the sense of random Definition occurring in a random way We made some desultory conversation while we waited for the bus. Synonyms random The order of events seemed totally random. vague His description of the events was very vague. irregular She was suffering from an irregular heartbeat. loose We came to some sort of loose arrangement before he went home. rambling He wrote a rambling letter to his sister. inconsistent You are inconsistent and unpredictable. erratic the erratic nature of our recent weather disconnected haphazard The investigation does seem haphazard. cursory I gave the letter a fairly cursory reading. aimless After several hours of aimless driving they were getting low on fuel. off and on fitful He drifted off into a fitful sleep. spasmodic My husband's work was so spasmodic. discursive The book is characterized by a reflective, discursive style. unsystematic inconstant maundering unmethodical Additional synonyms in the sense of aimless Definition having no purpose or direction After several hours of aimless driving they were getting low on fuel. Synonyms purposeless, random, stray, pointless, erratic, wayward, frivolous, chance, goalless, haphazard, vagrant, directionless, unguided, undirected in the sense of cursory Definition hasty and usually superficial I gave the letter a fairly cursory reading. Synonyms brief, passing, rapid, casual, summary, slight, hurried, careless, superficial, hasty, perfunctory, desultory, offhand, slapdash in the sense of discursive Definition passing from one topic to another The book is characterized by a reflective, discursive style. Synonyms digressive, loose, rambling, roundabout, diffuse, meandering, desultory, long-winded, circuitous, prolix Nearby words of desultory destruction destructive desuetude desultory detach detach yourself from something detached Synonyms of 'desultory' desultory Explore 'desultory' in the dictionary
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Trends ofdesultory

desultory

desultory in British English

desultory in American English

Examples of 'desultory' in a sentencedesultory

Additional synonyms

Nearby words ofdesultory

Synonyms of 'desultory'

desultory

Trends of
desultory

Examples of 'desultory' in a sentence
desultory

Nearby words of
desultory