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

"Constantly assuming new faces, it has insinuated itself into the heart of our societies, into every crack, too often accompanied by that same pact of cowardice: to keep silent, to refuse to see."

From Barron's • Feb. 13, 2026

There is an overwhelming sense of Constantly Being Perceived, even if it doesn’t always show up on a day-to-day basis.

From Slate • Feb. 12, 2026

Constantly at risk of detention in her own country, Machado is granting interviews and dialing into conferences to advocate for regime change.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 12, 2025

Constantly meeting foreigners with other experiences and ideas broadens one’s horizon of what’s possible.

From The Wall Street Journal • Aug. 29, 2025

Constantly my mind utters this plea, as if it could prevent the count and his bishop from coming.

From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein

Related Words

• continually
• invariably
• regularly
• steadily