ever

adverb

ev·​er ˈe-vər How to pronounce ever (audio)
Synonyms of ever
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
see also:
ever and anon

Synonyms of ever

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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.
Home growers were honored at the Golden Bear Awards for the first time ever on Saturday, after four years of only brands being allowed to enter their products. — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 19 July 2026 The event had been on the schedule earlier this week but then disappeared by Friday morning, with FIFA then saying no event had ever been planned. — Adam Crafton, New York Times, 18 July 2026 The company made history for the first time four years later with its Vikram-S suborbital rocket, becoming the first private Indian outfit ever to reach space. — Mike Wall, Space.com, 18 July 2026 The university named the Jones AT&T Stadium playing field Cody Campbell Field to recognize what was the largest one-time contribution ever made to the athletics department. — Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 July 2026 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

Phrases Containing ever

Rhymes for ever

See All Rhymes for ever

Browse Nearby Words

eveque
ever
ever after
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ever.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ever. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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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

Nglish: Translation of ever for Spanish Speakers

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