always

[awl-weyz, -weez]

adverb

1. every time; on every occasion; without exception.

   He always works on Saturday.

   Synonyms: consistently, regularly

2. all the time; continuously; uninterruptedly.

   There is always some pollution in the air.

   Synonyms: unceasingly, perpetually, constantly

3. forever.

   Will you always love me?

   Synonyms: evermore, eternally

4. in any event; at any time; if necessary.

   She can always move back with her parents.

always

/ ˈɔːlweɪz, -wɪz /

adverb

1. without exception; on every occasion; every time

   he always arrives on time

2. continually; repeatedly

3. in any case

   you could always take a day off work

4. informal,  for ever; without end

   our marriage is for always

Word History and Origins

Origin of always¹

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English alwayes, alleweyes, alles weis, alteration of alle wey alway

Word History and Origins

Origin of always¹

C13 alles weiss, from Old English ealne weg, literally: all the way; see _all , _way

Synonym Study

Both always and ever refer to uniform or perpetual continuance. Always often expresses or implies repetition as producing the uniformity or continuance: The sun always rises in the east. Ever implies an unchanging sameness throughout: Natural law is ever to be reckoned with.

Example Sentences

The ending, always the hardest thing to land in horror stories, falls short of perfection only because it’s almost glossed over; I missed the denouement on the first read.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“There’s always the desire to overexplain. ‘I didn’t mean it that way, and I swear to God, I’m a feminist!’

Read more on Salon

But the position on oil and gas has always been pretty nuanced - and Swinney is unlikely to see this as the moment to make any radical moves.

Read more on BBC

"He loved birds, and he told me he wanted to be a heart doctor, he used to say this all the time," she said tearfully, adding that he always got 'excellent' in his school grades.

Read more on BBC

Undergraduate private loans almost always require a co-signer, and with the parent’s debt-to-income ratio significantly increased by the previous Parent Plus borrowing, these loans may not be attainable.

Read more on MarketWatch

Related Words

• consistently 
• constantly 
• ever 
• invariably 
• regularly 
• repeatedly