Definition of perpetualnext
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Synonym Chooser

How is the word perpetual different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of perpetual are constant, continual, continuous, incessant, and perennial. While all these words mean "characterized by continued occurrence or recurrence," perpetual suggests unfailing repetition or lasting duration.

a land of perpetual snowfall

When is constant a more appropriate choice than perpetual?

The words constant and perpetual are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, constant implies uniform or persistent occurrence or recurrence.

lived in constant pain

When can continual be used instead of perpetual?

While the synonyms continual and perpetual are close in meaning, continual often implies a close prolonged succession or recurrence.

continual showers the whole weekend

When would continuous be a good substitute for perpetual?

While in some cases nearly identical to perpetual, continuous usually implies an uninterrupted flow or spatial extension.

football's oldest continuous rivalry

In what contexts can incessant take the place of perpetual?

In some situations, the words incessant and perpetual are roughly equivalent. However, incessant implies ceaseless or uninterrupted activity.

annoyed by the incessant quarreling

When is it sensible to use perennial instead of perpetual?

The synonyms perennial and perpetual are sometimes interchangeable, but perennial implies enduring existence often through constant renewal.

a perennial source of controversy

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of perpetual Since Youngblood had told him the cartel had taken out a contract on his family, Perardi had lived in a perpetual state of emergency. Matthew Bremner, Rolling Stone, 11 Feb. 2026 One pilot added that while refueling issues have occurred before, an official announcement of this scale is extraordinary even for an island accustomed to perpetual crisis. CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026 Typically, this truth — a perpetual frustration among gaming journalists and historians — surprises the casual video-game player. Chris Plante, Vulture, 10 Feb. 2026 In return, perpetual networker Epstein leveraged the relationship with Josephson to gain deep entry into Hollywood. Glenn Garner, Deadline, 6 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for perpetual
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perpetual
Adjective
  • Its benefits include greater energy capture without atmospheric losses, near-continuous sunlight, as well as optimal sun-facing orientation.
    Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 16 Feb. 2026
  • Kaukomaa said the decision to shoot Deep Red as a continuous trilogy was informed by that experience.
    Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • The kidnappers were part of an ongoing abduction ring that had netted around $65 million.
    David Faris, TheWeek, 16 Feb. 2026
  • Structural challenges—including constraints in yarn supply, port bottlenecks, rising labor costs and ongoing wage negotiations will require sustained and coordinated effort.
    Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • But Brontë’s novel is an eternal nightmare, one that has haunted readers for two centuries.
    Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Plenty of observers over the years have drawn a link between the Koopas and their king, Mario’s eternal archenemy Bowser, and the reptilian kappa creatures of Japanese mythology, untrustworthy trickster water spirits with a passing resemblance to turtles.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • There are many good answers, but at the base is the continual creation of more jobs in Texas that stay in Texas, as technology is increasingly changing the way money is earned.
    Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
  • District enrollment declining McMullen said Olathe Schools saw a continual increase in enrollment from 1965 to 2019, averaging a growth of 493 students a year during that period.
    Kendrick Calfee February 13, Kansas City Star, 13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • It’s meant to be an enduring tribute that people years from now can look up.
    Shirley Halperin, Rolling Stone, 17 Feb. 2026
  • After six decades together, their love is not just enduring.
    Yolanda Harris, AJC.com, 13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • With seemingly endless possibilities for ingredient combinations and twists, there's always a new way to serve a pasta salad at brunch, a ladies luncheon, or with a light supper.
    Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 19 Feb. 2026
  • The recent headlines from Camber have only contributed to the winter gloom – a recent environmental disaster made the news after millions of plastic microbeads were discovered scattered across the endless dunes sparking a massive clean-up effort.
    Felicity Capon, TheWeek, 19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Los Angeles County has unsuccessfully attempted to phase out the use of pepper spray inside its juvenile facilities for nearly seven years, and all of the current Board of Supervisors publicly oppose its continued use.
    Jason Henry, Daily News, 15 Feb. 2026
  • Every department should be submitting regular reports justifying expenses, if not their own continued existence.
    Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • The symphony, conducted by its music director Carolyn Kuan, is playing a ballet score by Prokofiev inspired by Shakespeare’s immortal drama about two young lovers from feuding families at the Belding Theater at The Bushnell, located at 166 Capitol Ave.
    Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 8 Feb. 2026
  • On the other sideline, the New England Patriots are somehow back here again, trying to rekindle a dynasty that once felt immortal under Tom Brady.
    Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Perpetual.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perpetual. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.

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