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
Gilbert HeldExamples of always-on in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
View gallery - 5 images There's a rebellion underway against the always-on, infinitely-scrollable nature of the smartphone.
—New Atlas, 10 June 2026
The internet created the need for massive data centers and the always-on infrastructure that powers modern life.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 8 June 2026
But always-on markets compress the time available to react.
—Sean Lee, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Wiliot said these real-time and always-on sensors set themselves apart from RFID or barcodes, whose data are only as good as the last time the code was scanned.
—Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for always-on
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New Atlas, 10 June 2026
The internet created the need for massive data centers and the always-on infrastructure that powers modern life.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 8 June 2026
But always-on markets compress the time available to react.
—Sean Lee, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Wiliot said these real-time and always-on sensors set themselves apart from RFID or barcodes, whose data are only as good as the last time the code was scanned.
—Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for always-on
Cite this Entry
“Always-on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/always-on. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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