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.
Across the economic capital, condensers are hung high on the walls of buildings and hum incessantly.
From Barron's ● Jun. 26, 2026
She texts incessantly - sometimes sending more than 100 messages a day - while he prefers to speak on the phone, or in person.
From BBC ● Apr. 25, 2026
U.S. troops surrounded the building and, in a famous psychological operation, incessantly blasted rock music to wear him down.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 4, 2026
We were approached by two hikers who were — teeth clattering incessantly and clothes soaked — ill-equipped for the evening.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 23, 2025
People employed by Gregarious Games during this period say that Halliday frequently locked himself in his office, where he programmed incessantly, often going without food, sleep, or human contact for days or even weeks.
From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline
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.
