always-on

adjective

al·​ways-on ˈȯl-wēz-ˈȯn 

-ˈän,

-wəz-,

-(ˌ)wāz-,

 also  ˈȯ-

: always active, operating, or powered

an always-on Internet connection

When a power shortage occurs and electricity costs rise, the always-on devices scattered throughout … your facility consume increasingly expensive power.

—Gilbert Held

Examples of always-on in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Now, for many people, audio is an always-on layer of life. —Bill Schiffmiller, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025

The battery easily pushed through 33 hours with the always-on display, even with sleep tracking enabled. —Shubham Yewale, PC Magazine, 9 June 2025

Getty Images An always-on culture decreases retention and creates a revolving door of talent, Sarah Wernér, co-founder of Husmus, told CNBC. —Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 8 June 2025

Create a sustainable visibility system If the always-on approach to social media isn’t your thing, create a system that respects your need for recharge time while maintaining consistent visibility. Block one day each month for content creation. —Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1976, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for always-on

• aileron
• antiphon
• autobahn
• carillon
• castellan
• celadon
• cephalon
• chitosan
• cynodon
• denouement
• deuteron
• echelon