1
as in random
lacking a definite plan, purpose, or pattern
a desultory search for something of interest on TV
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rambling
passing from one topic to another
a desultory discussion about the news of the day
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of desultory
Although the United States and its allies could deal with such ripostes, there would be no obvious military strategy to bring even a desultory exchange of strikes and counterstrikes to an end.
—
Barry R. Posen, Foreign Affairs, 7 Sep. 2010
Daniel Gordon’s film focused on the 100-meter final at the Seoul Olympics, a race that was dominated by Ben Johnson, who then abdicated the crown after a positive steroid test, leaving Carl Lewis as the desultory victor.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2025
But the Academy really didn’t go for Revolutionary Road, which received a Supporting Actor nod for Michael Shannon (back row, 11th from right) and desultory nominations for Art Direction and Costume Design but nothing for Winslet or her co-star Leonardo DiCaprio.
—Zach Schonfeld, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2025
But by the early 1970s, he was ravaged by drug addiction, kicking off a cycle of spirals and comebacks and sporadic, desultory live appearances.
—Rob Tannenbaum, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for desultory
Barry R. Posen, Foreign Affairs, 7 Sep. 2010
Daniel Gordon’s film focused on the 100-meter final at the Seoul Olympics, a race that was dominated by Ben Johnson, who then abdicated the crown after a positive steroid test, leaving Carl Lewis as the desultory victor.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2025
But the Academy really didn’t go for Revolutionary Road, which received a Supporting Actor nod for Michael Shannon (back row, 11th from right) and desultory nominations for Art Direction and Costume Design but nothing for Winslet or her co-star Leonardo DiCaprio.
—Zach Schonfeld, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2025
But by the early 1970s, he was ravaged by drug addiction, kicking off a cycle of spirals and comebacks and sporadic, desultory live appearances.
—Rob Tannenbaum, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for desultory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desultory
Adjective
-
The prime time talent show is once again ruining our viewing of acts by constantly cutting in reaction shots of the audience, hosts and random people.—
Ticked Off,
The Orlando Sentinel,
4 July 2025
-
Din Djarin, Boba Fett, and a random stormtrooper are all effectively evoked by these simple outfits.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
4 July 2025
Adjective
-
Refine your key points to be clear and concise—no rambling monologues.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
-
In the early morning hours of Dec. 26, 1996, Patsy Ramsey called 911 to report her 6-year-old daughter JonBenét missing, and found a rambling ransom note left inside their Boulder, Colorado, home.—
Erin Moriarty,
CBS News,
20 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
His wandering eye soon focused on a mutual friend, the American heiress Pauline Pfeiffer, and the two began an affair.—
Tony Perrottet,
Smithsonian Magazine,
30 June 2025
-
The wandering crocs are not the only examples of animals that were able to survive on islands far longer than on the mainland.—
Riley Black,
Smithsonian Magazine,
25 June 2025
Adjective
-
These seemingly arbitrary small items are essentially sweeteners to win over lawmakers who might quibble with the broader thrust of the legislation.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
4 July 2025
-
Regardless, the court continues to find that the government's actions were arbitrary and capricious, in part because the government never bothered to define the problems that would get a grant canceled.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
3 July 2025
Adjective
-
But the indirect benefits seem to reflect a posture against green energy, related to unbelief in climate change, and these lead to support for inefficient energy alternatives like nuclear and geothermal and gas-fired turbines.—
Ian Dexter Palmer,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
-
The indirect talks over a U.S. proposal for a 60-day ceasefire are being held in Doha, but optimism that surfaced last week of a looming deal has largely faded, with both sides accusing each other of intransigence.—
Crispian Balmer,
USA Today,
13 July 2025
Adjective
-
China’s export growth has shown some resilience in recent months, even as the erratic U.S. tariff policies disrupted global trade.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
9 July 2025
-
The plane made erratic maneuvers and several mayday calls before disappearing, the report said.—
Perry Vandell,
AZCentral.com,
9 July 2025
Adjective
-
McPherson’s discursive humanism exactly suits both O’Reilly’s light directorial touch and the confident realism of his company of (largely) Irish actors.—
Helen Shaw,
New Yorker,
11 July 2025
-
Set entirely in Linda’s Manhattan apartment, the film recreates that afternoon and the discursive exchange between the two.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
9 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Desultory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desultory. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share