everlasting
Americanadjective
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lasting forever; eternal.
everlasting future life.
- Antonyms:
- transitory
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lasting or continuing for an indefinitely long time.
the everlasting hills.
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incessant; constantly recurring.
He is plagued by everlasting attacks of influenza.
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wearisome; tedious.
She tired of his everlasting puns.
noun
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eternal duration; eternity.
What is the span of one life compared with the everlasting?
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the Everlasting, God.
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any of various plants that retain their shape or color when dried, as certain composite plants of the genera Helichrysum, Gnaphalium, and Helipterum.
adjective
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never coming to an end; eternal
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lasting for an indefinitely long period
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lasting so long or occurring so often as to become tedious; incessant
I cannot bear her everlasting complaints
noun
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endless duration; eternity
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Also called: everlasting flower. another name for immortelle See also cat's-foot
Synonym Usage
See eternal.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of everlasting
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English; see origin at ever, lasting
Explanation
Something that's everlasting is eternal; it lasts forever, or seems like it does. Many anti-war activists dream of everlasting peace. The adjective everlasting can literally mean exactly what it sounds like, but it's frequently used colloquially to exaggerate. You might compliment your friend's speech by saying, "You have my everlasting respect," or describe a lovely day by saying, "It's been like an everlasting dream." In a religious context, the word is used quite literally: "God promises everlasting life."
Vocabulary lists containing everlasting
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.
“Wuthering Heights” is a reminder of just how effective and everlasting a novel can be; of the places it can take us and the multitude of emotions it can make us feel.
From Salon • Feb. 14, 2026
From “The Picture of Dorian Gray” to “The Substance,” and most every vampire movie ever made, the search for everlasting youth and beauty never ends well.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 21, 2026
"Coexistence is not an everlasting legacy. It is not enough to have received it: it is a fragile construct," Felipe warned.
From Barron's • Dec. 24, 2025
It’s the confrontation between a sensibility and the abyss, not just touching the edge but coming away with a song, that makes a person seem everlasting.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 11, 2025
And that infinitesimal change ripples outward—ever smaller but everlasting.
From "An Abundance of Katherines" by John Green
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.
