ever
Americanadverb
-
at all times; always.
an ever-present danger; He is ever ready to find fault.
- Synonyms:
- constantly, perpetually, eternally
- Antonyms:
- never
-
continuously.
ever since then.
-
at any time.
Have you ever seen anything like it?
-
in any possible case; by any chance; at all (often used to intensify or emphasize a phrase or an emotional reaction as surprise or impatience).
How did you ever manage to do it? If the band ever plays again, we will dance.
adjective
idioms
-
ever and again, now and then; from time to time. Also ever and anon.
-
ever so, to a great extent or degree; exceedingly.
They were ever so kind to me.
adverb
-
at any time
have you ever seen it?
-
by any chance; in any case
how did you ever find out?
-
at all times; always
ever busy
-
in any possible way or manner
come as fast as ever you can
-
informal (intensifier, in the phrases ever so, ever such, and ever such a )
ever so good
ever such bad luck
ever such a waste
-
archaic now and then; from time to time
-
slang he displays the quality concerned in abundance
Synonym Usage
See always.
Etymology
Origin of ever
First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English ǣfre
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.
“I’m almost 40, so I don’t know how much longer I can do this whole frat-guy thing. Not that that’s what I’m ever going for, but that’s, you know, the perception.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
The heat is proving to be deadly, and A&E departments in England recorded their busiest period ever, with the record-breaking heat cited as a key factor.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
Adams swore to the end that he was “one of the most honorable, decent cops I have ever met,” and she had met--and tested--a lot of cops.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
“We did not have our best last 12 months ever, which is mostly my fault, but we are about to have our best 12 months to date,” OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said in July.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026
The thing that I love and hate about Rue’s grandmother is that she gives the best shade of any Black woman I’ve ever met.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
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.
