continually

adverb

con·​tin·​u·​al·​ly kən-ˈtin-yü-ə-lē 

-yə-lē

: in a continual manner : without stopping or interruption

a security system that runs continually

We had endured a series of dark, gloomy, winter days, during which the sun had been continually hidden behind dense, rain clouds.

—George Thatcher

… I was too thoroughly swept away by this richly imagined and continually surprising novel to be concerned with cute comparisons.

—Edan Lepucki

They bickered continually, ignoring me as I worked around them.

—Paula Fox

: in a constantly repeated manner : over and over

being interrupted continually

She would write. I would read and edit, and sometimes shift the wordings, or change phrases or delete things. We would continually refine what was written.

—Herbie Hancock

Synonyms of continually

• constantly
• often
• repeatedly
• frequently

Examples of continually in a Sentence

grew up in a time when children were continually being told to mind their manners

the computer program continually updates the file with new information

Recent Examples on the Web

Xochitl Gonzalez on the attack at Brown and how America continually fails its children. —Literary Hub, 20 Dec. 2025

While Gloucester struggled on the offensive end, Masconomet (2-0) continually dissected the Fishermen’s defense from the inside. —Mukala Kabongo, Boston Herald, 20 Dec. 2025

Johnson continually dribbled the ball upcourt against the UCSD pressure. —Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Dec. 2025

Gates has continually returned to the Johnson Publishing Company’s archive in his work, including most recently at dual exhibitions at the Smart Museum of Art (on view until February) and the Gray Chicago gallery. —Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 16 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English contynuely, from continuel continual + -ly -ly entry 2

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above