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
Rosemary Trout, The Conversation, 10 June 2026
Slugs and snails create large, irregular holes with smooth edges in foliage, typically located between the veins of leaves.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 10 June 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 unsaturated fats give them an irregular shape on a molecular level.
—Rosemary Trout, The Conversation, 10 June 2026
Slugs and snails create large, irregular holes with smooth edges in foliage, typically located between the veins of leaves.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 10 June 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
-
Due to difficulties finding a suitable donor [for the transplant], Caitlin suffered an abnormal relapse and the cancer returned to her skin.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
10 June 2026
-
Sybil, who spent her younger years beleaguered by the presence of her double, that emblem of feminine conformity named Désirée, never manages to perceive herself as anything but abnormal by comparison.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
Adjective
-
Still, there were sporadic reports by advocates of crackdowns targeting homeless people.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 June 2026
-
Also, because hantavirus outbreaks are so sporadic and unpredictable, that virus is much harder to study compared with a common germ that regularly circulates, such as the flu.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
These Black Diamond poles help take pressure off knees and joints during steep descents while providing extra stability on uneven terrain.—
Francesca Krempa,
Travel + Leisure,
11 June 2026
-
His central finding is that task-level productivity gains are real but do not automatically translate to firm-level or economy-wide effects — and that the historical analogy to electrification suggests transformation will be slow, uneven, and dependent on complementary investment.—
Mayra Rodriguez Valladares,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
The largely informal opposition had consisted mainly of local cities that warned another sales tax would disproportionately burden the poorest residents and force shoppers across the county border in hopes of finding lower costs.—
Rebecca Ellis,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
-
An informal settlement is a residential area where housing units have been constructed without official rights to the land.—
Gabrielle Rockson,
PEOPLE,
10 June 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
-
After launching in 2022 as a live event outdoors at Lincoln Center, the guerrilla awards show reached TV screens for the first time last year.—
Senior Television,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
-
The selective application of trafficking claims The narco-terrorism label was selectively applied not only to left-wing guerrillas but to the two communist governments in Latin America.—
Michelle D. Paranzino,
The Conversation,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
While there are certain products that can be used across different hair textures, lengths, curl patterns, thicknesses, colors (natural and unnatural), and needs, hair products are often created with specific consumers in mind.—
Jailynn Taylor,
Allure,
13 June 2026
-
This is fast enough for the robot to react to environmental changes in real time without making its motions feel jerky or unnatural.—
Lee-Lean Shu,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
There has been the occasional roar, especially when OG Anunoby makes a 3-pointer.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
11 June 2026
-
Friends described Boelter as an evangelical Christian and occasional preacher and missionary who held politically conservative views and had been struggling to find work.—
Tim Sullivan,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Irregular.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irregular. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
