chronically

American  

[kron-ik-lee] / ˈkrɒn ɪk li /

adverb

1. happening constantly or habitually.

   Nationally, millions of students are chronically absent every year.

2. happening or recurring over an extended period of time (opposed toacutely ).

   Monitoring is especially helpful for chronically ill patients wishing to avoid costly hospital stays.

   Close to 900 million people worldwide are chronically undernourished.

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Other Word Forms

• nonchronically adverb
• subchronically adverb
• unchronically adverb

Etymology

Origin of chronically

chronic ( def. ) + -ally ( def. )

Example Sentences

Choice overload, particularly for chronically online young people, can also lead to burnout, she adds.

From BBC • Feb. 21, 2026

The ego’s constant need to be fortified made us chronically insecure.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 3, 2026

If it had succeeded, it would have been the chronically unstable west African country's third coup in four years.

From Barron's • Jan. 20, 2026

“Yes, certainly this will lead to more infants being infected with hepatitis B, more chronically infected children, and more dying as a consequence,” Blumberg said.

From Salon • Dec. 12, 2025

Though chronically low on funds, she chose Amsterdam’s best professional engravers.

From "The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science" by Joyce Sidman