perpetually
Americanadverb
-
forever or for an indefinitely long time.
It is best to think of any software licensed in this way as perpetually licensed.
We seem to be locked perpetually in the past.
-
without intermission or interruption; continually.
The library received five more laptops to relieve the pressure on their perpetually busy media loan desk.
-
with continued recurrence; regularly or repeatedly: I'm the girl who loses pens constantly, forgets about quizzes in math, and is perpetually late.
The city’s public schools, particularly in working-class neighborhoods, are perpetually understaffed.
I'm the girl who loses pens constantly, forgets about quizzes in math, and is perpetually late.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of perpetually
Explanation
Use the adverb perpetually if something is never, ever going to stop doing what it's doing, like your perpetually chattering cousin. Perpetually comes from the adjective perpetual, which comes from the Latin for "never stopping." Although there might be some things that might exist perpetually, like the universe (hopefully), we usually use perpetually for things that just feel like they're never going to end. If the coffee shop you go to is perpetually playing the same album, bring them a new one. A good synonym is incessantly.
Vocabulary lists containing perpetually
"Common Sense," Vocabulary from the pamphlet
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Diary of a Young Girl
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Lyddie
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
The air smelled perpetually of tortilla chips, and the soundtrack was an agreeable mixture of Matchbox Twenty and sizzling fajita platters.
From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2026
Where Neko Health really has a financial window is for the people who are increasingly, perpetually scared of something going wrong before it does.
From Slate ● Oct. 8, 2026
One perpetually perplexing area of retirement planning for both individuals and professionals is how to spend down the money that we have so diligently saved.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026
Chaz of Chavez Ravine, perpetually painting the corners.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 21, 2026
He had little to lose but still seemed perpetually worried that something important was about to be taken from him.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
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.
