ever

[ ev-er ]
See synonyms for ever on Thesaurus.com
adverb
  1. at all times; always: an ever-present danger; He is ever ready to find fault.

  2. continuously: ever since then.

  1. at any time: Have you ever seen anything like it?

  2. 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
  1. South Midland and Southern U.S. every: She rises early ever morning.

Idioms about ever

  1. ever and again, now and then; from time to time.: Also Literary, ever and anon.

  2. ever so, to a great extent or degree; exceedingly: They were ever so kind to me.

Origin of ever

1
First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English ǣfre

synonym study For ever

1. See always.

Other words for ever

Opposites for ever

Words Nearby ever

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use ever in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for ever

ever

/ (ˈɛvə) /


adverb
  1. at any time: have you ever seen it?

  2. by any chance; in any case: how did you ever find out?

  1. at all times; always: ever busy

  2. in any possible way or manner: come as fast as ever you can

  3. informal, mainly British (intensifier, in the phrases ever so, ever such, and ever such a): ever so good; ever such bad luck; ever such a waste

  4. ever and again or ever and anon archaic now and then; from time to time

  5. is he ever! US and Canadian slang he displays the quality concerned in abundance

Origin of ever

1
Old English ǣfre, of uncertain origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with ever

ever

In addition to the idiom beginning with ever

  • ever and again
  • every bit
  • every cloud has a silver lining
  • every dog has its day
  • every inch
  • every last one
  • every little bit helps
  • every man for himself
  • every man has his price
  • every minute counts
  • every nook and cranny
  • every now and then
  • every other
  • every single one
  • every so often
  • every time one turns around
  • every Tom, Dick, and Harry
  • every which way

also see:

  • hardly ever
  • live happily ever after

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.