ever

adverb

ev·​er ˈe-vər How to pronounce ever (audio)
1
: always
ever striving to improve
the ever-increasing population
2
a
: at any time
more than ever before
b
: in any way
how can I ever thank you
3
used as an intensive
looks ever so angry
am I ever happy to see you
Phrases
ever and anon
: from time to time : occasionally

Examples of ever in a Sentence

The crime rate is higher now than it has ever been. He's forgotten all he's ever learned about history. Have you ever been to France? She's doing fine and is as pretty as ever. No one has ever seen a better example of woodwork. Has this ever been done before? Did it ever occur to you that I might like more myself? That was the worst movie I ever saw. Technology in recent years has become ever more sophisticated. The deadline draws ever closer. See More
Recent Examples on the Web But nobody is more closely associated with Carrara than Michelangelo, perhaps the greatest sculptor ever to live. Elaine Sciolino, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Dec. 2023 The exclusive White Collection is the first occasion RØDE has ever released any custom colors, offering live streamers the chance to brighten up their onscreen set. Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023 What’s your favorite gift that Winona ever gave you? Marc Malkin, Variety, 30 Nov. 2023 Related Gonzalez’s interview on the Kelly Clarkson Show comes shortly after Kelce became the fourth and fastest tight end to ever reach 11,000 receiving yards in the NFL. Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 30 Nov. 2023 Are you ever tempted to just make, like, a bright, sunny musical? Lacey Rose, The Hollywood Reporter, 30 Nov. 2023 No criminal charges were ever brought, and so the criminal legal system failed me. Ethan Millman, Rolling Stone, 30 Nov. 2023 Meanwhile, the Transportation Security Administration recorded its busiest day ever over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, with nearly 3 million passengers flying on Sunday. Analisa Novak, CBS News, 30 Nov. 2023 Natalie Morales: There were so many suspects over the years, was Patrick Leon Nicholas ever named a suspect? Det. Natalie Morales, CBS News, 18 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ever.' 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, from Old English ǣfre

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ever was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near ever

Cite this Entry

“Ever.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ever. Accessed 7 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

ever

adverb
ev·​er ˈev-ər How to pronounce ever (audio)
1
: at all times : always
ever faithful
2
a
: at any time
has this ever been done before
b
: in any way : at all
how can I ever thank you
3
used especially with so to give more force to a word
thank you ever so much

More from Merriam-Webster on ever

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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