eternity

noun

eter·​ni·​ty i-ˈtər-nə-tē 

plural eternities

1

: the quality or state of being eternal

2

: infinite time

lasting throughout eternity

3

eternities plural : age sense 3b

4

: the state after death : immortality

5

: a seemingly endless or immeasurable time

an eternity of delays

Synonyms

• perpetuity
• infinity
• foreverness

Examples of eternity in a Sentence

They believed that sinners would spend eternity in hell.

We suffered through an eternity of delays during the lawsuit.

Recent Examples on the Web

Once victorious, Zeus condemned his vanquished opponents, notably Atlas, who was forced to carry the burden of the heavens, for eternity. —Mike O'Sullivan, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025

Doncic arrived at Dyckman at 8:11 p.m., making his grand entrance just after the first game ended, and didn’t leave until 90 minutes later — an eternity for a superstar in a setting this intimate. —Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 30 July 2025

But what happens after those survivors return from their glimpse of eternity? —John Blake, CNN Money, 13 July 2025

Since his reign as the original Black Sabbath member, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer has left behind a plethora of hefty tunes that will rock on for eternity. —Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 23 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English eternite, from Middle French eternité, from Latin aeternitat-, aeternitas, from aeternus

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for eternity

• fraternity
• maternity
• modernity
• paternity
• confraternity
• taciturnity

Kids Definition

eternity

noun

eter·​ni·​ty i-ˈtər-nət-ē 

plural eternities

1

: the quality or state of being eternal

2

: endless time

3

: the state after death : immortality

4

: time that seems to be endless