constantly
Americanadverb
-
without pausing; unceasingly.
Add the milk and cook until thick, stirring constantly.
-
regularly or frequently; consistently.
The charts have to be updated every few years as the geomagnetic field is changing constantly.
We need to be constantly vigilant if we do not want the clutter to get out of hand.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of constantly
Explanation
When something happens constantly, it never stops or changes. If you sister constantly complains that she's hungry, she is always insisting that she's starving. If your dog barks constantly when he's in the car, he doesn't stop until you reach your destination, and if you're constantly thinking about your upcoming trip to France, you can't ever get it out of your head. The adverb constantly comes from constant, or "continual," which is rooted in the Latin constantem, "standing firm, stable, steadfast, or faithful."
Vocabulary lists containing constantly
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.
Earth's constantly changing surface has likely erased much of this ancient evidence.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 13, 2026
"I was just constantly told 'it's in your head'," she said, adding that a major barrier to diagnosis currently had been that the only established route was through costly and invasive surgery.
From BBC ● Jul. 11, 2026
He repeats this idea constantly, almost with surprise that anyone finds it unusual.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
And even, to some degree, with the bureaucratic stonewalling they run into constantly, and the seemingly blasé attitude of state officialdom about destroying records on cold cases, or just responding to phone calls.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
He rocked himself side to side trying to control his form, which was weakened one minute and strengthened the next, constantly shifting between beast and boy.
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
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.
