chronically

American  

[kron-ik-lee] / ˈkrɒn ɪk li /

adverb

1. happening constantly or habitually.

   Nationally, millions of students are chronically absent every year.

2. 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.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unchronically
  adverb
• nonchronically
  adverb
• subchronically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of chronically

chronic ( def. ) + -ally ( def. )

Example Sentences

This cheerless club was grouchily owned, poorly assembled, haphazardly managed, chronically undermanned, and, worst of all, dull.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026

The normalization of being chronically online makes it hard to gauge when phone use becomes addictive, but according to consultant psychologist Darren O’Reilley, addiction should be considered as a restructuring of priorities.

From Slate • May 12, 2026

In April, a record 35 candidates ran for president of the chronically unstable Andean nation, which has burned through eight presidents in the past decade, four of whom were impeached.

From Barron's • May 8, 2026

This isn't an unusual story – if you're a chronically online woman in your 20s you'll have seen plenty of conversations about hormonal contraceptives like the pill, coil and implant.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

In Pyongyang, living standards for the core class are luxurious only by the standards of a country where a third of the population is chronically hungry.

From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden