The continuum is a range or series that gradually changes. It’s not clearly separated into distinct parts, but it does have definite extreme points.
For example, gender isn’t an either-or proposition, it falls on a continuum. Similarly, the four basic parenting styles fall on a continuum from heavy discipline to more child centered approaches. Likewise, the severity of crimes and the punishments based on them are both at extreme ends of a social justice continuum.
Einstein theorized that gravity is a warping of the space-time continuum. That means that the past, present and future all exist at once in a sort of muddled space-time continuum.
These examples are programmatically selected from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘continuum.’ They do not represent the opinions of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Search for similar words using the buttons below. Continuum (play-by-mail game), 1990s science fiction play-by-mail game. These words are not related, but their meanings are close enough to be useful. the continuum