annually
Americanadverb
Etymology
Origin of annually
First recorded in 1580–1600; annual ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )
Explanation
Something that happens annually occurs once a year, every year. If you vacation at the beach annually, you do it every summer. Many people send holiday cards annually, mailing stacks of them every December, and everyone celebrates a birthday annually. If your work performance is reviewed annually, your boss might consider giving you a raise each year. The adverb annually comes from the adjective annual, which is rooted in the Late Latin annualis, based on annus, or "year."
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 study by Fair by Design, external, funded by Trust for London, found affected families in Peckham pay an average of £493 more annually than wealthier households for identical items.
From BBC • Jul. 12, 2026
The UN estimated shortly after Taliban authorities took power that policies excluding women could cost the economy $1 billion annually.
From Barron's • Jul. 12, 2026
The National Institutes of Health and related programs award roughly $50 billion annually in research support.
From Salon • Jul. 10, 2026
Giant defense contractors could benefit from DSRB-backed financing, say boosters, because government budgets often fluctuate annually, raising funding uncertainty that can increase borrowing costs.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 7, 2026
As Equiano explained, the island of Montserrat “requires 20,000 new Negroes annually, to fill up the vacant places of the dead.”
From "Sugar Changed the World: A Story of Magic, Spice, Slavery, Freedom, and Science" by Marc Aronson
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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.