perpetually

adverb

per·​pet·​u·​al·​ly pər-ˈpe-chə-wə-lē How to pronounce perpetually (audio)
-chə-lē;
-ˈpech-wə-lē
: in a perpetual or continuous manner
A guardroom was established to each side of the prisoner's casemate, in which a lamp burned perpetually.Robert Penn Warren
Beta-blockers can make you tired, interfere with circulation (making your hands and feet perpetually cold) …Consumer Reports
… the tusks of prehistoric mammoths, which had been preserved in the perpetually frozen soil.William C. Ketchum, Jr.

Examples of perpetually in a Sentence

a group of jaded teenagers with their perpetually bored expressions the perpetually smiling host of the morning talk show
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Or at least a philosopher who seems perpetually in danger of being smattered by the martial arts experts who surround him. Yvonne Zipp, Christian Science Monitor, 1 Apr. 2025 At the time, the Great Depression wore heavily on Americans, and Shirley Temple’s effervescence, wit, and perpetually bright demeanor seemed to give the country hope amid dark days. Michelle Duncan, Architectural Digest, 28 Mar. 2025 And since 2013 her work has been perpetually on tour. Jay Cheshes, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025 The game winner ended a day when James was perpetually in the spotlight. Eric Koreen, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for perpetually

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of perpetually was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Perpetually.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perpetually. Accessed 12 Apr. 2025.

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