constantly
Americanadverb
-
without pausing; unceasingly.
Add the milk and cook until thick, stirring constantly.
-
regularly or frequently; consistently.
The charts have to be updated every few years as the geomagnetic field is changing constantly.
We need to be constantly vigilant if we do not want the clutter to get out of hand.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of constantly
Explanation
When something happens constantly, it never stops or changes. If you sister constantly complains that she's hungry, she is always insisting that she's starving. If your dog barks constantly when he's in the car, he doesn't stop until you reach your destination, and if you're constantly thinking about your upcoming trip to France, you can't ever get it out of your head. The adverb constantly comes from constant, or "continual," which is rooted in the Latin constantem, "standing firm, stable, steadfast, or faithful."
Vocabulary lists containing constantly
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The regenerative braking means it "constantly feels like the car is stopping all the time".
From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026
That means trimming exposure to the companies most dependent on cheap capital: small-capitalization companies that are highly leveraged, unprofitable growth stocks and speculative businesses that constantly need to refinance.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 1, 2026
"If there is one thing I have learned after 10 years working with Mars rovers, it is that Mars constantly throws surprises at you," said Bedford.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 30, 2026
That is particularly the case for buyers who can be comfortable holding until maturity, rather than constantly checking on the price to see if it has risen or fallen.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
The clerk glances at us constantly as she rings us up.
From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
