continually
Americanadverb
-
very often; at regular or frequent intervals; habitually.
-
without cessation or intermission; unceasingly; always.
Commonly Confused
See continual.
Etymology
Origin of continually
First recorded in 1175–1225, continually is from the Middle English word continuelli, continueliche; see continual, -ly
Explanation
When you do something continually, you do it over and over again. If you keep checking your email to see if you've gotten an important message, you can say you check it continually. The adverb continually is good for describing something you do repeatedly, or on a regular basis. Your little brother, for example, might complain continually that he's hungry for ice cream. The word continuously is easy to confuse with continually — when you do something continually, you take breaks in between, but when you do it continuously, you don't stop at all. Both come from a Latin root, continuare, or "join together."
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.
“Advertisers provide initial inputs, including budget and duration, and Amazon’s AI plans, executes, and continually optimizes the rest,” he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
Museum officials, firm leaders and local stakeholders have continually communicated that the gardens would feature “indigenous” or “native” plants.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026
“These cuts would continually take place year after year,” AARP’s Johnson said.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 26, 2026
I was always continually asked if I could make players better, and also if I could recover money from those I did not rate or want, so as to help the club's financial position.
From BBC ● Oct. 25, 2026
He was a curiosity in Yugoslavia, a chess-obsessed country, and was continually pestered for autographs and interviews.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
