Irregular — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective noun /i-ˈre-gyə-lər/ ir·reg·u·lar

Meaning & Definition of Irregular

Irregular (adjective)

  1. not being or acting in accord with laws, rules, or established custom
  2. not conforming to the usual pattern of inflection; specifically, strong
  3. not following a usual or prescribed procedure; especially, British, celebrated without either proclamation of the banns or publication of intention to marry

Irregular (noun)

  1. one that is irregular
  2. a soldier who is not a member of a regular military force
  3. merchandise that has minor defects or that falls next below the manufacturer's standard for firsts

Irregular (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. departing from some accepted standard of what is normal

    "it was a bank customer's slightly irregular behavior that made people suspicious"

    similar: aberrant, aberrational, abnormal, anomalous, atypical, deviant, deviate, devious, unnatural, untypical
    related: unrepresentative, extraordinary, preternatural, rare, uncommon, uncustomary, unusual, unwonted, bizarre, curious, far-out, funny, kinky, odd, outlandish, out-of-the-way, outré, peculiar, quaint, queer, queerish, quirky, remarkable, screwy, strange, wacky, way-out, weird, wild, eccentric, freakish, idiosyncratic, nonconformist, unconventional, unorthodox
    opposite: natural, normal, regular, standard, typical
    near: common, commonplace, everyday, familiar, ordinary, routine, run-of-the-mill, run-of-the-mine, unexceptional, unremarkable, workaday, customary, usual, wonted, archetypal, average, characteristic, representative

  2. lacking in steadiness or regularity of occurrence

    "irregular mail delivery to the island"

    similar: aperiodic, casual, catchy, choppy, discontinuous, episodic, erratic, fitful, intermittent, occasional, spasmodic, spastic, sporadic, spotty, unsteady
    related: convulsive, sudden, violent, broken, disconnected, fragmentary, interrupted, aimless, arbitrary, desultory, haphazard, hit-and-miss, hit-or-miss, odd, random, scattered, slapdash, stray, capricious, changeful, changing, flickery, fluctuating, fluid, inconstant, mercurial, mutable, temperamental, uncertain, unpredictable, unsettled, unstable, varying, wavering, changeable, fickle, variable, volatile
    opposite: constant, continuous, habitual, periodic, regular, repeated, steady
    near: changeless, equable, even, stable, stationary, uniform, unchanging, unvarying, unwavering, methodical, orderly, systematic, unrelenting, unremitting

  3. not having a level or smooth surface

    "although the moon looks smooth from here, it actually has a very bumpy and irregular surface"

    similar: broken, bumpy, coarse, jagged, lumpy, pebbly, ragged, rough, roughened, rugged, scraggy, uneven
    related: lopsided, unbalanced, inexact, unaligned, rutted, rutty, undulating, undulatory, wavy, pitted, pocked, knobbly, knobby, knurled, knurly, nubbly, nubby, burred, harsh, sandpapery, scraggly, scratchy, nonuniform
    opposite: even, flat, level, plane, smooth
    near: exact, uniform, aligned, regular, true, horizontal, tabular, plumb, straight, vertical, flush

  4. not rigidly following established form, custom, or rules

    "the request is irregular, but I'll allow it"

    similar: heterodox, informal, unceremonious, unconventional, unorthodox
    related: unauthorized, unofficial, casual, easygoing, familiar, free and easy, lax, loose, offhand, relaxed, ultracasual
    opposite: ceremonial, ceremonious, conventional, formal, orthodox, regular, routine
    near: correct, decorous, proper, constrained, inhibited, restrained, rigid, stiff, stuffy, uptight

  5. not staying constant

    "irregular gusts of wind"

    similar: changing, erratic, fluctuating, unequal, uneven, unstable, unsteady, varying
    related: capricious, changeable, changeful, choppy, fickle, fluid, inconsistent, inconstant, mercurial, mutable, uncertain, unsettled, variable, volatile
    opposite: changeless, constant, stable, steady, unchanging, unvarying
    near: regular

Irregular (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in guerrilla, partisan

    similar: counterguerrilla, guerrilla, paramilitary, partisan, dogface, fighter, legionary, legionnaire, man-at-arms, regular, serviceman, soldier, trooper, warrior, servicewoman, carabineer, cavalier, cavalryman, cuirassier, dragoon, doughboy, footman, foot soldier, grunt, infantryman, commando, raider, jarhead (slang), marine, ranger, artilleryman, cannoneer, gunner, mortarman, musketeer, rifleman, archer, crossbowman
    opposite: civilian, noncombatant

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Irregular

The most common words with a similar meaning to Irregular:

Slang: jarhead
aberrant, aberrational, abnormal, anomalous, atypical, deviant, deviate, devious, unnatural, untypical, aperiodic, casual, catchy, choppy, discontinuous, episodic, erratic, fitful, intermittent, occasional, spasmodic, spastic, sporadic, spotty, unsteady, broken, bumpy, coarse, jagged, lumpy, pebbly, ragged, rough, roughened, rugged, scraggy, uneven, heterodox, informal, unceremonious

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Irregular

Words with the opposite meaning of Irregular:

natural, normal, regular, standard, typical, constant, continuous, habitual, periodic, repeated, steady, even, flat, level, plane, smooth, ceremonial, ceremonious, conventional, formal, orthodox, routine, changeless, stable, unchanging, unvarying, civilian, noncombatant

Related Words for Irregular

unrepresentative, extraordinary, preternatural, rare, uncommon, uncustomary, unusual, unwonted, bizarre, curious, far-out, funny, kinky, odd, outlandish, out-of-the-way, outré, peculiar, quaint, queer, queerish, quirky, remarkable, screwy, strange, wacky, way-out, weird, wild, eccentric

Near Antonyms of Irregular

common, commonplace, everyday, familiar, ordinary, run-of-the-mill, run-of-the-mine, unexceptional, unremarkable, workaday, customary, usual, wonted, archetypal, average, characteristic, representative, equable, stationary, uniform, unwavering, methodical, orderly, systematic, unrelenting, unremitting, exact, aligned, true, horizontal

Word Forms of Irregular

Derived words: irregularly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Irregular

Middle English irreguler, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin irregularis not in accordance with rule, from Latin in- + regularis regular

First known use: 14th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Irregular

What does "Irregular" mean?

"Irregular" means not being or acting in accord with laws, rules, or established custom. As an an adjective and a noun, it is defined as: not being or acting in accord with laws, rules, or established custom. It has 6 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Irregular"?

Other words for "Irregular" include aberrant, aberrational, abnormal, anomalous, atypical, deviant, deviate and devious. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Irregular" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Irregular"?

There are 184 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Irregular". Common alternatives include aberrant, aberrational, abnormal, anomalous, atypical, deviant, deviate, devious, unnatural and untypical.

What is the opposite of "Irregular"?

Antonyms of "Irregular" include natural, normal, regular, standard, typical, constant, continuous and habitual. Near antonyms include common, commonplace, everyday and familiar.

How do you use "Irregular" in a sentence?

Examples of "Irregular" in a sentence: "it was a bank customer's slightly irregular behavior that made people suspicious"; "irregular mail delivery to the island"; "although the moon looks smooth from here, it actually has a very bumpy and irregular surface".

Is "Irregular" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Irregular" can be used as an adjective and a noun, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Irregular"?

"Irregular" is pronounced /i-ˈre-gyə-lər/ and divided into syllables as ir·reg·u·lar.

What is the origin of the word "Irregular"?

"Irregular" comes from Middle English irreguler, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin irregularis not in accordance with rule, from Latin in- + regularis regular. First known use: 14th century.