Standard Lemma guide

inconstancy

noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • CMU ARPABET: IH2 N K AA1 N S T AH0 N S IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Lack of constancy; lack of consistency in thought, emotion or action.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • Although she loved him for many years, his inconstancy eventually drove her to another.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

the quality of being changeable and variable

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: changefulness

Antonyms: constancy

Broader terms: changeableness, changeability

Narrower terms: capriciousness, unpredictability

3

noun

Meaning 3

unfaithfulness by virtue of being unreliable or treacherous

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: faithlessness, falseness, fickleness

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: infidelity, unfaithfulness

History

Etymology

From in- + constancy or inconstant + -cy.

Across languages

Translations

11 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: непостоянност (nepostojannost) — lack of constancy
  • Bulgarian: колебливост (koleblivost) — lack of constancy
  • Catalan: inconstància — lack of constancy
  • French: inconstance — lack of constancy
  • Irish: luaineacht — lack of constancy
  • Māori: hārakiraki — lack of constancy
  • Middle English: unstedefastnesse — lack of constancy
  • Portuguese: inconstância — lack of constancy
  • Spanish: inconstancia — lack of constancy
  • Tagalog: kawalang-ligo — lack of constancy
  • Turkish: hercailik — lack of constancy