ever

adverb

ev·​er ˈe-vər How to pronounce ever (audio)
1
: always
ever striving to improve
the ever-increasing population
2
a
: at any time
more than ever before
b
: in any way
how can I ever thank you
3
used as an intensive
looks ever so angry
am I ever happy to see you
Phrases
ever and anon
: from time to time : occasionally

Examples of ever in a Sentence

The crime rate is higher now than it has ever been. He's forgotten all he's ever learned about history. Have you ever been to France? She's doing fine and is as pretty as ever. No one has ever seen a better example of woodwork. Has this ever been done before? Did it ever occur to you that I might like more myself? That was the worst movie I ever saw. Technology in recent years has become ever more sophisticated. The deadline draws ever closer.
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.
Such concepts—risk scoring, escalation processes, regulatory compliance mapping and ongoing monitoring—become ever more directly related to smart factories and global supply chains. Ramachander Rao Thallada, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025 Dakota Johnson and Kate Hudson have been friends for…ever? Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 1 July 2025 During this period, the telescope will zip its view across the sky in a carefully choreographed dance that will ultimately produce the best high-definition movie of the heavens that humanity has ever conceived. Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 1 July 2025 The Red Devils completed their worst Premier League campaign ever and will miss out on European competition next season, which will hurt the company’s ticket, media and sponsorship revenue. Brendan Coffey, Sportico.com, 1 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for ever

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English ǣfre

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ever was before the 12th century

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Cite this Entry

“Ever.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ever. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

ever

adverb
ev·​er ˈev-ər How to pronounce ever (audio)
1
: at all times : always
ever faithful
2
a
: at any time
has this ever been done before
b
: in any way : at all
how can I ever thank you
3
used especially with so to give more force to a word
thank you ever so much

More from Merriam-Webster on ever

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