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

• 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

Each of these sections will have traffic flowing continually throughout the construction process. —Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Oct. 2025

This year’s version was probably the hardest so far because of a continually shrinking talent discrepancy between the haves and the have-nots on the back end. —Harman Dayal, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025

His big, bright smile, infectious energy and eternal positivity created a presence that continually uplifted others. —Reice Shipley, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Oct. 2025

Keeping your garage, kitchen, closet, dresser drawers, and bathroom neat and free of clutter is all about staying on top of the mess by continually getting rid of items that are no longer serving you or your home. —Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 2 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above