Formal:
* "His reading was desultory, jumping from one topic to another without focus." (This emphasizes the lack of direction or purpose in his reading.)
* "The conversation drifted into a desultory discussion of the weather." (This indicates a lack of depth or engagement in the conversation.)
Informal:
* "After a desultory attempt to fix the leaky faucet, I gave up and called a plumber." (This implies a half-hearted effort that didn't achieve much.)
* "My attempts to learn Spanish have been desultory at best, with long periods of inactivity." (This highlights a lack of consistency and effort in learning.)
Literary:
* "He wandered through the city, his thoughts desultory and disconnected." (This adds a sense of aimlessness and internal turmoil to the character's experience.)
* "The novel's plot is desultory, meandering through a series of loosely connected events." (This criticizes the lack of structure and focus in the novel's narrative.)
Key takeaway: "Desultory" is a word that captures a lack of direction, purpose, or focus in actions, thoughts, or conversations.