constantly

American  

[kon-stuhnt-lee] / ˈkɒn stənt li /

adverb

1. without pausing; unceasingly.

   Add the milk and cook until thick, stirring constantly.

2. 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.

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Other Word Forms

• overconstantly
  adverb
• quasi-constantly
  adverb
• unconstantly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of constantly

constant + -ly

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."

Example Sentences

However, in modern environments where calorie-rich foods are constantly available, the same biological mechanisms may now be contributing to chronic disease.

From Science Daily • May 11, 2026

Like all those outside, he worries constantly for his immediate family, who luckily all survived the war.

From Barron's • May 9, 2026

"I spent 12 years in pain, hiding myself, and praying constantly for children - at last, Allah heard me."

From BBC • May 8, 2026

Those who are constantly predicting an Apple pratfall see the company selling out its future to Google.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

The Filipinos loved him; Marcos entertained him at the palace and on his yacht; Marcos’s wife, Imelda, dined with him at lunch; young ladies gathered around him constantly, as if he were a movie star.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Related Words

• continually
• invariably
• regularly
• steadily