perpetually
Americanadverb
-
forever or for an indefinitely long time.
It is best to think of any software licensed in this way as perpetually licensed.
We seem to be locked perpetually in the past.
-
without intermission or interruption; continually.
The library received five more laptops to relieve the pressure on their perpetually busy media loan desk.
-
with continued recurrence; regularly or repeatedly: I'm the girl who loses pens constantly, forgets about quizzes in math, and is perpetually late.
The city’s public schools, particularly in working-class neighborhoods, are perpetually understaffed.
I'm the girl who loses pens constantly, forgets about quizzes in math, and is perpetually late.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of perpetually
Explanation
Use the adverb perpetually if something is never, ever going to stop doing what it's doing, like your perpetually chattering cousin. Perpetually comes from the adjective perpetual, which comes from the Latin for "never stopping." Although there might be some things that might exist perpetually, like the universe (hopefully), we usually use perpetually for things that just feel like they're never going to end. If the coffee shop you go to is perpetually playing the same album, bring them a new one. A good synonym is incessantly.
Vocabulary lists containing perpetually
"Common Sense," Vocabulary from the pamphlet
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Diary of a Young Girl
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Lyddie
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Perpetually drained, Davis, 31, searched online for a daily planner that incorporated space for goals beyond just work, things like checking in with friends, taking time for gratitude and spending time outdoors.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 23, 2022
Perpetually confident Castor conceded there is no idealized scenario.
From Washington Post • Feb. 7, 2021
Perpetually broke and unable to get into bars, teens come up with a lot of weird ways to amuse themselves.
From Slate • May 22, 2020
Perpetually wearing a Kansas City Chiefs stocking cap, Nill waved to every child and parent on foot or in a passing car headed toward Christ the King school, Fithian said.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 19, 2020
Perpetually on horseback, with their lances on their shoulders, their crooked sabres by their sides, and their pistols in their belts, they are expert horsemen and indefatigable soldiers....
From Historical Sketches, Volume I (of 3) The Turks in Their Relation to Europe; Marcus Tullius Cicero; Apollonius of Tyana; Primitive Christianity by Newman, John Henry
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.
