Word
perpetually
Phoneticsper·pet·u·al·ly, stress on the second syllable
US/pɝˈpɛtʃuəɫi/
UK/pəpˈɛtʃuːəli/
Adverb of manner
Definition
adv. happening all the time or never ending. You use this to describe something that seems to go on forever without stopping.
adv. occurring in a way that is constant, never-ending, or seemingly eternal. Often used to describe states or conditions that feel unchangeable.
Examples
“The mountains are perpetually covered in snow.”
“He felt perpetually tired because he worked two jobs and rarely had time to sleep.”
“In the high-pressure environment of the newsroom, the staff lived in a perpetually frantic state, reacting to every minor update as if it were a global crisis.”
Examples
simple
“The mountains are perpetually covered in snow.”
contextual
“He felt perpetually tired because he worked two jobs and rarely had time to sleep.”
complex
“In the high-pressure environment of the newsroom, the staff lived in a perpetually frantic state, reacting to every minor update as if it were a global crisis.”
Usage
Typically placed before the adjective or verb it modifies.
Real-World Examples
“Bassist and vocalist Aoife Anson-O’Connell finds it “really stifling creatively and personally isolating” being locked perpetually on screens, while Haycocks’ previous band, he says, became frozen by the “option paralysis” of overusing technology.” “Joseph Losey and Harold Pinter make the mood more jangly and atonal, perpetually on the verge of panic.” Etymology
From Middle English perpetuelly; equivalent to perpetual + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/perpetually