all along

adverb

: all the time
knew the truth all along

Examples of all along in a Sentence

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.
Looking back, maybe the signs were there all along. Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 26 Jan. 2026 The trouble is that what gets touted as a lost civilization often turns out to have been there all along. Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026 So take a breath, steady your course, and prepare to discover the Starfleet leader who's been hiding in you all along. Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 24 Jan. 2026 Though there are a number of potential suspects, including Anna herself and her estranged husband, Detective Jack Harper (the deliciously rangy Jon Bernthal), it’s revealed in the shocking finale that Anna’s mother Alice (Crystal Fox) was the killer all along. Yohana Desta, Rolling Stone, 23 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for all along

Word History

First Known Use

1619, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of all along was in 1619

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Cite this Entry

“All along.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/all%20along. Accessed 27 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

all along

adverb
: all the time
knew the truth all along

More from Merriam-Webster on all along

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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