continually

adverb

con·​tin·​u·​al·​ly kən-ˈtin-yü-ə-lē How to pronounce continually (audio)
-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

Examples of continually in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Olivia continually frets about her father’s terminal illness, which is later mansplained to the audience by Michael during his tender talk with her. Courtney Howard, Variety, 13 Mar. 2024 The fire department continually resisted these changes. Cincinnati Enquirer, The Enquirer, 12 Mar. 2024 In her life, Marilyn Monroe was continually exploited — by her mentally ill mother, by her first husband, and by the entire entertainment industry. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 9 Mar. 2024 This war will continually repeat itself because the medium demands it. Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2024 But to do so, business leaders must continually be client-centric. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 As a founder navigating two decades of industry transformation, I've been continually astonished by the pace of technological change. Anna C Mallon, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Queens can mate with multiple males and store their sperm, continually laying eggs that reflect the diversity of more than one paternal line. Popular Science, 29 Feb. 2024 For a decade, reports have continually emerged about the company building an electric, autonomous car as smart and beautiful as an iPhone. Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 28 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'continually.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of continually was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near continually

Cite this Entry

“Continually.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/continually. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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