hourly

1 of 2

adverb

hour·​ly ˈau̇(-ə)r-lē 

: at or during every hour

also : frequently, continually

hourly

2 of 2

adjective

1

a

: occurring hour by hour

hourly bus service

b

: frequent, continual

in hourly expectation of the rain's stopping

2

: computed in terms of an hour

an hourly wage

3

: paid by the hour

hourly workers

Synonyms

Adverb

• constantly
• often
• frequently
• repeatedly
• continually

Examples of hourly in a Sentence

Adverb

she checks her phone for messages hourly

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

Getting there: Ferries depart daily almost hourly starting at 5:50 a.m. from Vancouver’s Horseshoe Bay Terminal, and almost hourly from Bowen Island’s Snug Cove with the final ferry leaving about 10 p.m. —The New York Times, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 June 2025

Angie Ayala, a pharmacy technician at Ralph’s Fare Fresh in Pasadena, drives in from her Hollywood apartment for a five-day-a-week job that pays $24.10 hourly. —Pat Maio, Oc Register, 8 June 2025

Adjective

That case was settled out of court the following year and hourly wages had not gone up considerably in the years in between. —Chris Morris, Fortune, 20 June 2025

More recently, clients have balked, even as associate hourly rates-if not realization-have continued to climb. —Mark A. Cohen, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adverb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

circa 1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for hourly

• sourly

Kids Definition

hourly

adjective

hour·​ly

ˈau̇(ə)r-lē

1

: occurring every hour

hourly bus service

2

: figured in terms of one hour

hourly wages

hourly adverb