incessantly
Americanadverb
Etymology
Origin of incessantly
Explanation
Use the adverb incessantly to describe an action that continues or repeats without interruption. The neighbor's dog might bark incessantly in the morning, causing you to complain incessantly about the noise. The word incessantly usually indicates that there's something slightly irritating about whatever is happening. The person sitting next to you at the library might be incessantly drumming her fingers on the table. Your little sister might be incessantly singing Disney songs during a long car ride. On the other hand, incessantly can have a more positive meaning, indicating determination or drive. If you work incessantly to prepare for a big presentation, that’s a good thing!
Vocabulary lists containing incessantly
Fahrenheit 451
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Metamorphosis
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The Alchemist
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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.
John Coltrane, who practiced incessantly, obsessed with self-improvement, was a gifted American trying to find his home on the range.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
The two blue and yellow macaws, Peanuts and Coco, welcome staff with an "all right" and bid them "goodbye", while the galahs chatter incessantly in their enclosure.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026
Across the economic capital, condensers are hung high on the walls of buildings and hum incessantly.
From Barron's ● Jun. 26, 2026
Little did I know that “older couple” was to become “old couple,” a term that seemed to be repeated incessantly, at least to my Gen X ears not yet accustomed to scurrilous millennial attacks!
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 12, 2026
But the sound kept with her, burned incessantly through her ears, trailed her like a stalker around every turn.
From "Shadowshaper" by Daniel José Older
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.
