1
as in abnormal
departing from some accepted standard of what is normal
it was a bank customer's slightly irregular behavior that made people suspicious
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sporadic
lacking in steadiness or regularity of occurrence
irregular mail delivery to the island
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in uneven
not having a level or smooth surface
although the moon looks smooth from here, it actually has a very bumpy and irregular surface
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in informal
not rigidly following established form, custom, or rules
the request is irregular, but I'll allow it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in changing
not staying constant
irregular gusts of wind
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in guerrilla
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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 irregular
A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
The plan aims at increasing the number of officers deployed on the ground from 907 now to 1,392 for the 2026-2029 period, along with the creation of an additional police unit dedicated to combating irregular migration, funded by France, the French Interior Ministry said.
—Arkansas Online, 24 Apr. 2026
Paula Allen, ExpressNews.com, 15 Feb. 2020
Turkish troops then began shelling Kurdish towns in Syria, and Turkish forces pushed forward, irregulars executing people in ditches along the road.
—Time, 14 Nov. 2019
See All Example Sentences for irregular
Adjective
The irregular flow of cash will distort their financial reports and could deepen mistrust that the county has adequate guardrails to properly account for where taxpayers’ money is ending up.
—A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 26 Apr. 2026
The plan aims at increasing the number of officers deployed on the ground from 907 now to 1,392 for the 2026-2029 period, along with the creation of an additional police unit dedicated to combating irregular migration, funded by France, the French Interior Ministry said.
—Arkansas Online, 24 Apr. 2026
Noun
As volunteer companies were raised to drive out the Mexican forces — who were occupying their own country — some of the irregulars were joined by free black men.
—Paula Allen, ExpressNews.com, 15 Feb. 2020
Turkish troops then began shelling Kurdish towns in Syria, and Turkish forces pushed forward, irregulars executing people in ditches along the road.
—Time, 14 Nov. 2019
See All Example Sentences for irregular
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irregular
Adjective
-
Stray dogs aren’t an abnormal occurrence but Sierra had something most stray dogs didn’t.—
Garfield Hylton,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 May 2026
-
Goenka said one signature of early cancer that the AI model was able to detect is abnormal cells in the pancreas that shelter and protect cancer from the body’s immune defenses.—
Aria Bendix,
NBC news,
2 May 2026
Adjective
-
Flows are narcoleptic, drums are sporadic, and melodies are soft enough to live in a dollhouse.—
Olivier Lafontant,
Pitchfork,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Still, sporadic cross-border fighting had continued even while delegations from the two sides were attending the talks in Urumqi.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
This not only suppressed uneven vertical phase distribution but also improved film uniformity across the devices.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
7 May 2026
-
Many buildings predate modern standards, leaving visitors to navigate stairs, uneven terrain, or sites that simply can’t be reached without significant retrofitting.—
Daniel Cassady,
ARTnews.com,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
The pair of town hall meetings hosted by law firms operating under the name PFAS Georgia turned out nearly 1,000 people and served as an informal campaign stop for about a dozen political candidates — a nod to the grassroots outrage over the topic.—
DYLAN JACKSON,
ABC News,
6 May 2026
-
If that window closes without agreement, an informal arbitration process commences — conducted under WGA auspices, conducted by phone, and conducted fast.—
George Heller,
HollywoodReporter,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
In some studies, gloves not changed between tasks had higher bacterial counts and could transfer germs just as easily as ungloved hands, underscoring the need for frequent changing and proper hand hygiene.—
Evan Moore
December 19,
Charlotte Observer,
19 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Authorities said Topo had ties to a dissident faction of Colombia's FARC guerillas and was wanted by a New York court.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Advertisement Hezbollah maintained guerrilla-style warfare against Israel throughout the occupation of southern Lebanon up until 2000, when Israel withdrew from the country.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
With the house emptied of living (and costumed) guests, its furnishings, in all their liveliness, appear only to mask an unnatural torpor.—
Olivia Kan-Sperling,
Artforum,
2 May 2026
-
The time was unnatural, sometime after midnight.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
Although the program was a tribute to the TV series starring Paul Reuben as Pee-wee Herman and not the feature films with the same character, there was an occasional moment of crossover into the Pee-wee cinematic universe.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
7 May 2026
-
The hotel’s 88 rooms, including 25 suites created by award-winning design studio Jaime Beriestain, are understated in ivory, dove gray, and the occasional dash of teal velvet, with Egyptian cotton bed linens and goose down comforters.—
Eddi Fiegel,
Robb Report,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Irregular.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irregular. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
