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

Indeed, artificial intelligence is advancing at such a pace that not only policymakers, but even its creators, are having to continually reassess its capabilities. — Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026

Never out of print, continually adapted to stage and screen, in the 1980s Anne was enjoying a surge in popularity unprecedented even in its own successful history. — Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 2026

Pérez threw 97 pitches but lasted just four innings as Milwaukee’s hitters continually worked counts deep. — ABC News, 22 Aug. 2026

The entities continually lurk into Gemma’s house and into the eyes of her precocious nine-year-old daughter, Maya (Island Austin), trying to intimidate the family of two. — Tomris Laffly, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above