incessant

adjective in·ces·sant \(ˌ)in-ˈse-s^ənt\

: continuing without stopping : not stopping

Full Definition of INCESSANT

: continuing or following without interruption : unceasing

— in·ces·sant·ly adverb

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Examples of INCESSANT

Much of the early motor development of the child depends on learning and refining such procedures, through play, imitation, trial and error, and incessant rehearsal. —Oliver Sacks, New Yorker, 24 Sept. 2007
Magna Carta also stipulated that the shire courts should meet as royal courts under the itinerant justices more often than twice a year—a change, convenient to the landed classes and their incessant civil actions, that was not implemented because of the cost to the Crown. —Norman F. Cantor, Imagining the Law, 1997
Whatever Stalin's ancestry, his biographers, Robert Tucker in particular, have concluded that his unfortunate childhood experiences, including incessant, murderous beatings by his drunken father, were probably what caused his pathological behaviour. —Amy Knight, Times Literary Supplement, 26 Apr. 1991
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Origin of INCESSANT

Middle English incessaunt, from Late Latin incessant-, incessans, from Latin in- + cessant-, cessans, present participle of cessare to delay — more at cease

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to INCESSANT

Synonyms: ceaseless, continual, continued, continuing, continuous, nonstop, perpetual, running, unbroken, unceasing, uninterrupted, unremitting

Antonyms: discontinuous, noncontinuous

Synonym Discussion of INCESSANT

continual, continuous, constant, incessant, perpetual, perennial mean characterized by continued occurrence or recurrence. continual often implies a close prolonged succession or recurrence <continual showers the whole weekend>. continuous usually implies an uninterrupted flow or spatial extension <football's oldest continuous rivalry>. constant implies uniform or persistent occurrence or recurrence <lived in constant pain>. incessant implies ceaseless or uninterrupted activity <annoyed by the incessant quarreling>. perpetual suggests unfailing repetition or lasting duration <a land of perpetual snowfall>. perennial implies enduring existence often through constant renewal <a perennial source of controversy>.