always

adverb
al·​ways | \ ˈȯl-wēz How to pronounce always (audio) , -wəz, -(ˌ)wāz How to pronounce always (audio) also ˈȯ- \

Definition of always

1 : at all times : invariably always smiling
2 : forever will love you always
3 : at any rate : in any event You can always try again if it doesn't work this time.

Examples of always in a Sentence

He always tries, but he doesn't always succeed. It's always a pleasure to see you. I can always tell when he's upset. This area is always filled with tourists. Things won't always go as planned. You're always welcome to stay with us. He has always been a good friend to me. Life won't always be this easy. I always thought they'd get married some day, but they never did. Isn't that what you've always wanted? See More
Recent Examples on the Web While dresses are always a warm-weather favorite, romantic dresses have become increasingly popular thanks in part to shoppers' affinity for anything Bridgerton-esque. Sanah Faroke, PEOPLE.com, 2 Apr. 2022 Her demands through Precious were not always in line with the campaign. Tyler Aquilina, EW.com, 2 Apr. 2022 There are always a few surprises when the opening day roster is named and this one is no exception. Paul Hoynes, cleveland, 2 Apr. 2022 Sometimes the vegetable bites could be a little fiddly, but the sushi and sashimi Nakao served were always among the most seasonal and deftly prepared in the city. Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2022 China has always been eager to divide EU countries from the United States and even from one another, said Philippe Le Corre, a China expert and a senior fellow at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government and at the Carnegie Endowment. Arkansas Online, 2 Apr. 2022 Music has always been a part of the siblings’ lives. Britt Julious, chicagotribune.com, 2 Apr. 2022 And so while conservatives insist that Democrats want to nationalize everything down to the last snickerdoodle sale, fully Stalinesque America has always been far, far way. Robin Kaiser-schatzlein, The New Republic, 1 Apr. 2022 And then, also, my impulse in literature is always to look at the way people try to escape their problems and themselves by going somewhere. ELLE, 1 Apr. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'always.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of always

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

History and Etymology for always

Middle English alwayes, from alwey

Learn More About always

Time Traveler for always

Time Traveler

The first known use of always was before the 12th century

See more words from the same century

Dictionary Entries Near always

alway

always

always-on

See More Nearby Entries 

Statistics for always

Last Updated

5 Apr 2022

Cite this Entry

“Always.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/always. Accessed 12 Apr. 2022.

Style: MLA
MLACheck Mark Icon ChicagoCheck Mark Icon APACheck Mark Icon Merriam-WebsterCheck Mark Icon

More Definitions for always

always

adverb
al·​ways | \ ˈȯl-wēz How to pronounce always (audio) , -wəz, -wāz \

Kids Definition of always

1 : at all times My dad always knows the answer.
2 : throughout all time : forever I'll remember it always.
3 : often, frequently, or repeatedly People always forget my name.

More from Merriam-Webster on always

Nglish: Translation of always for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of always for Arabic Speakers

WORD OF THE DAY

Test Your Vocabulary

Name that Color

  • a light greenish blue color
  • Name that color:
How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?

Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!

TAKE THE QUIZ
Universal Daily Crossword

A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!