chronically
Americanadverb
-
happening constantly or habitually.
Nationally, millions of students are chronically absent every year.
-
happening or recurring over an extended period of time (opposed toacutely ).
Monitoring is especially helpful for chronically ill patients wishing to avoid costly hospital stays.
Close to 900 million people worldwide are chronically undernourished.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of chronically
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 international community has raised $1.5 billion to support the response in the DRC, whose healthcare system is chronically underfunded.
From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026
“Living among wolves for cattle is a chronically stressful experience, and that could ultimately have production-related impacts in both the short and the long term.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026
The party at the time was chronically short of money.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
Supporters also cite the ability to access cash value through policy loans, and accelerated benefits for policyholders who become chronically or terminally ill.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 16, 2026
And I had to talk to Sam a lot: He was chronically tardy, in everything from leaving his cell at chow time to getting back in it after a meal.
From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover
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.
