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.
You still wouldn’t find anything like them on Airbnb; the floors are entirely seamless—no cracks for a virus to hide in—and the air is continually swapped out using negative pressure systems.
From Slate • May 14, 2026
Researchers also introduced a byte-encoding compression technique that cuts memory requirements by a factor of eight, along with a dynamic optimization system that continually improves data exchange between more than 16,000 GH200 Superchips.
From Science Daily • May 11, 2026
Moreover, earnings estimates for the second quarter and full year 2026 are continually being revised higher and have been raised by 2% and 3% respectively in April alone.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 27, 2026
A man masters his emotions, remains calm under pressure, refuses to engage in gossip or backbiting and accepts his imperfections while continually striving to become the best version of himself.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026
A serpent and his brood gnawed continually at the root beside Niflheim, Hel’s home.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
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.
