Definitions
- Referring to something that is not continuous or uninterrupted. - Describing something that is broken or interrupted at intervals. - Talking about something that is not consistent or regular in its occurrence.
- Referring to something that occurs at irregular intervals or with breaks in between. - Describing something that is not continuous or steady in its occurrence. - Talking about something that alternates between periods of activity and inactivity.
List of Similarities
- 1Both words describe something that is not continuous or uninterrupted.
- 2Both words suggest a lack of consistency or regularity.
- 3Both words can be used to describe patterns of behavior or events.
What is the difference?
- 1Frequency: Discontinuous suggests a lower frequency of occurrence than intermittent.
- 2Duration: Intermittent suggests shorter and more sporadic breaks than discontinuous.
- 3Cause: Discontinuous implies a more significant break or interruption than intermittent, which may be caused by external factors.
- 4Usage: Discontinuous is more commonly used in technical or scientific contexts, while intermittent is more versatile and can be used in everyday language.
- 5Connotation: Discontinuous has a more negative connotation than intermittent, which can suggest a more neutral or even positive meaning depending on the context.
Remember this!
Discontinuous and intermittent are synonyms that describe something that is not continuous or uninterrupted. However, discontinuous suggests a more significant break or interruption, while intermittent implies shorter and more sporadic breaks. Additionally, discontinuous is more commonly used in technical or scientific contexts, while intermittent is more versatile and can be used in everyday language.
