consistent

adjective

con·​sis·​tent kən-ˈsi-stənt How to pronounce consistent (audio)
1
a
: marked by harmony, regularity, or steady continuity : free from variation or contradiction
a consistent style in painting
b
: marked by agreement : compatible
usually used with with
statements not consistent with the truth
c
: showing steady conformity to character, profession, belief, or custom
a consistent patriot
2
: tending to be arbitrarily close to the true value of the parameter estimated as the sample becomes large
a consistent statistical estimator
3
archaic : possessing firmness or coherence
consistently adverb

Examples of consistent in a Sentence

… the sixty-five-year-old filmmaker continues to practice his craft with consistent artistic aplomb. Peter Travers, Rolling Stone, 30 Aug. 2001
I am not consistent about giving vibrancy and other kinds of input to a relationship.  … There are periods when I am the most attentive and thoughtful lover in the world, and periods, too, when I am just unavailable. Toni Cade Bambara, "A Conversation with Claudia Tate," in The Story and Its Writer, edited by Ann Charters1987
One of the strengths of Blake's letters is their consistent readability … William Styron, This Quiet Dust and Other Writings, (1953) 1982
The rhythm of the gesture never varied. The paper flew in identically the same arc at each doorway, landed in identically the same spot. It was impossible for anybody to throw with such consistent perfection. Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time, (1962) 1976
He is a consistent supporter of the museum. We need to be more consistent in handling this problem. Customers expect that the quality of service they receive will be consistent. The pain has been consistent. Your grades have shown consistent improvement this school year. Their descriptions of the accident were consistent. The decision was consistent with the company's policy.
Recent Examples on the Web But on the blocks surrounding Seventh and P, crime has stayed relatively consistent compared with the first few months of last year. Emily Davies, Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2024 One of Shook’s shoes was entangled inside the pants, which Deputy District Attorney Shane Waller said was consistent with the pants being forcibly removed. City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Mar. 2024 The wastewater data is consistent with clinical data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which shows positive tests for parainfluenza type 3 are on the rise. Adrianna Rodriguez, USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2024 The lead scientist on one of the two new studies said that while the study was not designed to find a cause, the findings were consistent with those determinations. Julian E. Barnes, New York Times, 18 Mar. 2024 Rob Moore, director of the flooding solutions, Natural Resources Defense Council Such migrations likely would not be consistent and would be tied with socioeconomic means. Amy Green, WIRED, 16 Mar. 2024 But the squad’s effort getting back on defense hasn’t been consistent enough, even as the season enters its most important chapter and the Warriors are fighting for playoff positioning. Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 16 Mar. 2024 The testimony is consistent with a diagram in the NTSB report. The Arizona Republic, 16 Mar. 2024 District superintendent Stephen Plum noted during the meeting that the pronoun change request portion of the flow chart is consistent with an October 2023 ruling by Waukesha County Circuit Judge Michael Maxwell. Alec Johnson, Journal Sentinel, 14 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'consistent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin consistent-, consistens, present participle of consistere "to come to a halt, remain at the same level, take up a position, reside, be composed of, be established (in a given state)" — more at consist entry 1

First Known Use

1638, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of consistent was in 1638

Dictionary Entries Near consistent

Cite this Entry

“Consistent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/consistent. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

consistent

adjective
con·​sis·​tent kən-ˈsis-tənt How to pronounce consistent (audio)
1
: being in agreement or harmony
actions consistent with our policy
2
: being unchanging in behavior or beliefs
a consistent supporter
consistently adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on consistent

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