constant
Happening all the time without stopping, or staying the same.
constant in a sentence
- The constant drip of the leaking tap kept Ellie awake all night.
- Our old dog was Leo's constant companion, following him from room to room.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to constant?
- Aoccasional
- Birregular
- Ccontinual
- Dchanging
Show the answer
C: continual. The other three mean the opposite of constant.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to constant?
- Acontinual
- Bsteady
- Cendless
- Doccasional
Show the answer
D: occasional. The other three mean nearly the same as constant.
Words that mean something similar
continual, endless, steady
Words that mean the opposite
occasional, changing, irregular
Careful: constant is not incessant
Constant can be a good thing. Incessant is almost always a complaint. Read why children mix them up.
More words about time & change
- contemporary: Belonging to the present time; modern.
- convert: To change something into something else.
- corrode: To slowly eat away at metal or other material.
- customary: Done as a habit or tradition; usual.
- disastrous: Causing great damage, trouble or failure.
- dormant: Not active now, as if asleep, but able to wake up later.
- drastic: Sudden and extreme, with a very big effect.
- durable: Strong enough to last a long time without breaking.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test