continual often implies a close prolonged succession or recurrence.
continual showers the whole weekend
continuous usually implies an uninterrupted flow or spatial extension.
football's oldest continuous rivalry
constant implies uniform or persistent occurrence or recurrence.
lived in constant pain
incessant implies ceaseless or uninterrupted activity.
annoyed by the incessant quarreling
perpetual suggests unfailing repetition or lasting duration.
a land of perpetual snowfall
perennial implies enduring existence often through constant renewal.
a perennial source of controversy
Example Sentences
Much of the early motor development of the child depends on learning and refining such procedures, through play, imitation, trial and error, and incessant rehearsal. Oliver Sacks, New Yorker, 24 Sept. 2007Magna Carta also stipulated that the shire courts should meet as royal courts under the itinerant justices more often than twice a year—a change, convenient to the landed classes and their incessant civil actions, that was not implemented because of the cost to the Crown. Norman F. Cantor, Imagining the Law, 1997Whatever Stalin's ancestry, his biographers, Robert Tucker in particular, have concluded that his unfortunate childhood experiences, including incessant, murderous beatings by his drunken father, were probably what caused his pathological behaviour. Amy Knight, Times Literary Supplement, 26 Apr. 1991 the incessant noise from an outside repair crew was a real distraction during the test
Recent Examples on the WebEvery day--many times a day!--they receive a random but incessant stream of social media messages, emails, news updates, and, of course, photographs.Vogue, 12 Sep. 2022 Yet on Ukraine's front lines, the fighting was incessant, especially in the eastern region of the Donbas, where much of the fighting has been centered as the war approaches the six-month mark. Susie Blann, ajc, 12 Aug. 2022 On Thursday, shelling near the supply lines that run toward Lysychansk was incessant.New York Times, 23 June 2022 As his performance has exponentially increased his market value as a potential free agent at season’s end, the Yankees and Judge are not burdened by incessant questions regarding his future in pinstripes. Wayne G. Mcdonnell, Jr., Forbes, 13 June 2022 The soundtrack of the Celtics’ summer is incessant Kevin Durant trade rumors. Christopher L. Gasper, BostonGlobe.com, 20 Aug. 2022 There’s a sense of peace in that line, a feeling of being true to oneself that puts one beyond the incessant barbs of our commentary-happy culture. Marco Della Cava, USA TODAY, 16 Aug. 2022 My husband/ co-founder actually refers to me as his protector given my incessant focus on making sure that everyone is taken care of. Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 14 Aug. 2022 Ali is also right that, more than ever, this is the time for the crypto community to put aside its incessant infighting and unite against the looming threat of censorship. Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 11 Aug. 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Middle English incessaunt, from Late Latin incessant-, incessans, from Latin in- + cessant-, cessans, present participle of cessare to delay — more at cease