always-on

adjective

al·​ways-on ˈȯl-wēz-ˈȯn How to pronounce always-on (audio)
-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
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.
Burnout is rising as job insecurity, economic pressures and an always-on work culture are taking their toll. Sammy Rubin, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025 Without nuclear energy to provide the stable, always-on foundation for clean energy, those goals are slipping further from reach. Micky Horstman, Chicago Tribune, 7 July 2025 That’s a shame, because ProMotion is tremendous, and is one of the reasons the iPhone 16 Pro and others have always-on displays. David Phelan, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025 Over the years, Charlamagne built the kind of deeply personal relationship with his audience that presaged the always-on culture of content creators of the 21st century. Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 23 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for always-on

Word History

First Known Use

1976, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of always-on was in 1976

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Always-on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/always-on. Accessed 23 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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