irregular Hear it!

irregular Definition

ir·regu·lar (i reg′yə lər)

adjective

  1. not conforming to established rule, method, usage, standard, etc.; out of the ordinary; anomalous
  2. not conforming to legal or moral requirements; lawless; disorderly
  3. not straight or even; not symmetrical; not uniform in shape, design, or proportion
  4. uneven in occurrence or succession; variable or erratic
  5. ☆ having minor flaws or imperfections: said of merchandise
  6. experiencing constipation
  7. Bot. not uniform in shape, size, etc. as the petals of a flower
  8. Gram. not inflected in the usual way “go” is an irregular verb
  9. Mil. not belonging to the regularly established army

Etymology: ME < OFr irregulier < ML irregularis: see in- & regular

noun

  1. a person or thing that is irregular
  2. a soldier who belongs to an irregular military force
  3. ☆ irregular merchandise

Related Forms:

irregular Synonyms

irregular

modif.

  1. Not even

    uneven, spasmodic, fitful, uncertain, erratic, variable, aberrant, random, unsettled, inconstant, unsteady, fragmentary, unsystematic, occasional, infrequent, fluctuating, faltering, wavering, recurrent, intermittent, discontinuous, sporadic, changeable, capricious, casual, shifting, unmethodical, unreliable, unpredictable, jerky, up and down*; see also changing, unsteady 2.

    Antonyms regular*, even*, punctual. *

  2. Not customary

    unique, extraordinary, unconventional, unorthodox, anomalous, unnatural, abnormal, peculiar; see also different 1, unusual 2.

  3. Questionable

    strange, improper, dubious; see questionable 2, suspicious 2.

  4. Not regular in form or outline

    not uniform, crooked, devious, unsymmetrical, asymmetrical, nonsymmetrical, uneven, unequal, craggy, hilly, broken, jagged, aberrant, notched, serrate, eccentric, elliptic, elliptical, bumpy, meandering, zigzagged, bent, unaligned, amorphous, variable, wobbly, lumpy, off balance, off center, protuberant, lopsided, pockmarked, scarred, crinkled, bristling, bumpy, sprawling, out of proportion, flawed, damaged, imperfect, cockeyed*, gallywampus*; see also bent, crooked 1.

irregular implies deviation from the customary or established rule, procedure, etc. irregular conduct; abnormal and anomalous imply deviation from the normal condition or from the ordinary type, abnormal stressing atypical form or character a man of abnormal height, and anomalous, stressing an exceptional condition or circumstance in the anomalous position of a leader without followers; unnatural applies to that which is contrary to the order of nature or to natural laws an unnatural appetite for chalk

irregular Usage Examples

Adjective modifier

  • Arab: Arab irregulars swarmed to the scene to take part in the kill.

Modifies a noun

  • ordination: Having just had my own curry ( see the " Irregular Ordinations " thread ) I must away to my bed.
  • heartbeat: This can result in irregular heartbeat which could lead to heart failure.
  • verb: WEEK 2 Test on present tense, irregular verbs.
  • coursing: Medium to large linear blocks with large rectangular blocks in the lower stage of the tower; irregular coursing.
  • bleeding: Women who took the sequential regimens had good cycle control with minimal irregular bleeding.
  • interval: At irregular intervals, there are roll call votes.

Used with adjective complement

  • become: At low weights heart muscle is affected, the beat can become irregular.
  • seem: The old order was thus threatened by an unsympathetic incumbent on one side and by growing Wesleyan concern about practices which seemed increasingly irregular.

Noun used with modifier

  • dwarf: Dwarf irregulars play a key role in astronomers ' attempts to unravel the history of galaxies in the early universe.

Modifying Another Word

  • somewhat: Three broad roads, of somewhat irregular widths, make their way through the city toward the north.
  • slightly: Sometimes this is revealed by a slight chattering of the tool and/or a slightly irregular cut.
  • highly: Download previous copies of the now highly irregular Track & Field Star.
  • rather: Either they follow them at a constant distance or they catch them on a rather irregular trajectory.
  • extremely: Even if the Government is to make contributions it comes to little, it comes too late and is extremely irregular.
  • very: The area occupied by the spokes is very irregular, being marked out by the supports of the branch, which are infinitely variable.

Preposition: in

  • shape: Fields are small to medium in size and irregular in shape.
  • size: This is why the cottages are ' quaint ' and irregular in size.
  • form: Where present, fields are small/medium in size and irregular in form.

Preposition: with

  • evening: Hours can be irregular with some evening and weekend work required in the run up to shows.