continually

adverb

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

grew up in a time when children were continually being told to mind their manners the computer program continually updates the file with new information
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Modern facilities can use closed-loop cooling, where water circulates through the system rather than being continually consumed and discharged. — Zev Laine, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026 Advertisement The golf course is 106 years old, and its miniature golf course, which opened later in 1931, is one of the oldest continually operating miniature golf courses in the United States. — Rebecca Schneid, Time, 20 Oct. 2026 Throughout Flanagan’s eight-episode series, each of the characters are placed at the center of a complex moral debate, continually forced to choose between kindness and cruelty. — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 19 Oct. 2026 But the battle against the temptation of price promotions is long and one that has had the industry continually losing ground. — Evan Clark, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for continually

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Continually.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/continually. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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