consistently

American  

[kuhn-sis-tuhnt-lee] / kənˈsɪs tənt li /

adverb

1. with no or very few exceptions; typically; usually.

   We hope the new system will lead to teachers and administrators who are consistently well-prepared and well-supported, and who will continue to grow throughout their careers.

2. regularly or frequently.

   The museum consistently ranks as one of the top 10 children's museums in the country.

   As a premier chamber music ensemble, they consistently perform to sold-out houses around the world.

3. in a way that adheres to the same principles, course, form, etc..

   Similarly situated employees must be treated consistently under all company policies.

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• quasi-consistently
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of consistently

consistent ( def. ) + -ly

Explanation

The adverb consistently describes something that's done the same way for a long time. If your mom consistently forgets to add sugar when she's baking cookies, it means you can count on inedible cookies. When something happens again and again, it happens consistently. In fact, the Latin root is consistentem, meaning "standing still." Consistently is most often used to describe something you can depend on, like consistently getting hungry right before lunch, or your dog consistently appearing by your side to cheer you up whenever you're feeling sad.

Example Sentences

In other words, the systems appeared unable to consistently suppress the response they had been most heavily trained to produce.

From Science Daily • Jun. 10, 2026

"And he's just been caught doing and saying all of these things... consistently, he's been lying about all of his behavior and the things that he's done."

From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026

However, statistics published by the government's own workforce planning group show that for the past nine years, universities have consistently recruited too many primary teachers and not enough secondary teachers in most subjects.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

Adamson says that one piece of the puzzle that gets consistently overlooked is that a significant number of Americans who want children simply cannot have them.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026

I honed my skills until I finally got good enough to beat Aech, repeatedly and consistently.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

Related Words

• always
• constantly
• frequently
• normally
• persistently
• regularly
• routinely
• steadily
• typically