incessant
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- incessancy noun
- incessantly adverb
- incessantness noun
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”; in- 3, cease, -ant
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.
In a California case, lawyers argued that Instagram and YouTube designed features meant to get their client, a young woman identified as KGM, addicted to social media, including infinite scroll, autoplay, and incessant notifications.
From Slate • Mar. 30, 2026
Consumers might be tightening their belts, and pushing back against incessant price hikes amid stubbornly high inflation, but the staples sector has booked its strongest January gains since 1997.
From Barron's • Feb. 6, 2026
Peddling products doesn’t enrich the soul — the Globes’ incessant in-show ads were proof of that — but art does.
From Salon • Jan. 13, 2026
Some residents have told The Times they’ve been unable to sleep because of the incessant beeping from Waymos maneuvering in and out of charging spots on the lot 24 hours a day.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 22, 2025
The air smelled cold and hard, and she could practically taste exhaust and grit, the perfect late afternoon punctured by incessant car horns and an ambulance siren.
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
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.
