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.
That spurred an international rescue operation by several aquariums, leading to the largest ever transfer of captive whales this summer.
From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026
Neither honked its horn—the baritone blasts anyone who has ever driven a hatchback can’t forget.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026
He asked the press secretary, who graduated from law school at California's Pepperdine University in 2011, if she ever retook the bar exam.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
If I don’t ever do that, I won’t know, so I need to do it.’”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
I’m the complete opposite of the guy that the popular, hot girl at school would ever date.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
