eternal

American  

[ih-tur-nl] / ɪˈtɜr nl /

adjective

1. without beginning or end; lasting forever; always existing (temporal ).

   eternal life.

   Synonyms:

   permanent

   Antonyms:

   transitory

2. perpetual; ceaseless; endless.

   eternal quarreling;

   eternal chatter.

3. enduring; immutable.

   eternal principles.

   Synonyms:

   indestructible, imperishable, undying, deathless, immortal, timeless

   Antonyms:

   mutable

4. Metaphysics. existing outside all relations of time; not subject to change.

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noun

1. something that is eternal.

2. the Eternal. God.

eternal British  

/ ɪˈtɜːnəl /

adjective

1. 1. without beginning or end; lasting for ever

      eternal life

   2. ( as noun )

      the eternal

2. (often capital) denoting or relating to that which is without beginning and end, regarded as an attribute of God

3. unchanged by time, esp being true or valid for all time; immutable

   eternal truths

4. seemingly unceasing; occurring again and again

   eternal bickering

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Related Words

Eternal, endless, everlasting, perpetual imply lasting or going on without ceasing. That which is eternal is, by its nature, without beginning or end: God, the eternal Father. That which is endless never stops but goes on continuously as if in a circle: an endless succession of years. That which is everlasting will endure through all future time: a promise of everlasting life. Perpeptual implies continuous renewal as far into the future as one can foresee: perpetual strife between nations.

Other Word Forms

• eternality noun
• eternally adverb
• eternalness noun
• noneternal adjective
• noneternalness noun
• preeternal adjective
• quasi-eternal adjective

Etymology

Origin of eternal

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English eternale, eterneel, from Old French eternal, eternel, from Late Latin aeternālis, equivalent to aetern(us) ( eterne ) + -ālis -al ¹

Explanation

If something lasts forever or even if it just feels like it’s going to last forever, you could call it eternal, which means that it goes on and on and will never change or end. The Fountain of Youth is a mythical spring of water that rewards its bathers with eternal life, free from sickness and death forever. The Latin root of eternal is aeternalis, translating roughly as “of great age,” and eternal things are really, really old. Eternal can describe an abstract idea that never changes, like the eternal truths of war, or it can describe an annoyance that you wish would end, like the eternal boredom you feel watching a really dull movie.

Example Sentences

But the eternal optimist said he draws strength from the example set by Glover: "He's a natural American hero, in my opinion."

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

Garbage in, garbage out remains the eternal problem calling for intelligent human prioritization of computing tasks.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026

In “Ready or Not,” Weaving’s blushing bride-to-be, Grace, discovers that she’s marrying into a family of devil-worshippers who sold their souls for eternal wealth, and they must sacrifice her to keep the money rolling in.

From Salon • Mar. 29, 2026

It is worth repeating that the past behavior of markets does not show what markets will do in the future, let alone what markets “do” in some kind of generalized eternal present.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 26, 2026

Gingersnipes had been in this very position since she’d arrived in Deadwood: confused and unsure of her own eternal fate.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

Related Words

• abiding
• boundless
• constant
• continual
• continued
• enduring
• everlasting
• immortal
• immutable
• indestructible
• infinite
• interminable
• lasting
• never-ending
• perennial
• permanent
• perpetual
• relentless
• timeless
• unceasing