Disclosed herein are a semiconductor memory device and word line addressing method. The semiconductor memory device comprises a memory array comprising a plurality of word lines arranged in a predetermined sequence, and a word line driver adapted to sequentially address the plurality of word lines in a discontinuous manner relative to neighboring word lines. The method comprises addressing a plurality of word lines in a discontinuous manner relative to the predetermined sequence, such that neighboring word lines in the plurality of word lines are not coincidently addressed.