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 of hourly

Adverb

• often
• constantly
• frequently
• repeatedly
• continually

Examples of hourly in a Sentence

Adverb

she checks her phone for messages hourly

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

Fresh food comes in daily, sometimes hourly, to keep shelves stocked at the Denton Freedom House food pantry. —Bo Evans, CBS News, 20 Nov. 2025

Lowe’s operates over 1,753 stores and has about 300,000 workers, mostly hourly. —Charlotte Observer, 20 Oct. 2025

Adjective

By the beginning of the 20th century, skywatchers were reporting hourly rates of about 20 to 25. —Joe Rao, Space.com, 7 Dec. 2025

Benz favors fee-only planners, who may charge an hourly fee, bill you for specific services or charge something akin to a monthly or annual subscription rate. —Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 6 Dec. 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