continually
Americanadverb
-
very often; at regular or frequent intervals; habitually.
-
without cessation or intermission; unceasingly; always.
Commonly Confused
See continual.
Etymology
Origin of continually
First recorded in 1175–1225, continually is from the Middle English word continuelli, continueliche; see continual, -ly
Explanation
When you do something continually, you do it over and over again. If you keep checking your email to see if you've gotten an important message, you can say you check it continually. The adverb continually is good for describing something you do repeatedly, or on a regular basis. Your little brother, for example, might complain continually that he's hungry for ice cream. The word continuously is easy to confuse with continually — when you do something continually, you take breaks in between, but when you do it continuously, you don't stop at all. Both come from a Latin root, continuare, or "join together."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
When lens flares continually beam right at the screen, the whole movie feels like enlightenment under duress.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
Because the caustic structure continually shifts, the resulting flashes would occur again and again, creating a recognizable pattern that astronomers could search for.
From Science Daily • Jun. 5, 2026
Carl Windsor, Fortinet’s CISO, said the rise of AI agents requires cybersecurity teams to continually monitor network users and their devices for any unsanctioned AI apps.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026
With stock markets continually hitting new records, one fear is a repeat of the dot-com bust.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026
Though no one mentioned another word about faeries, as they traveled onward, Celaena continually scanned the soldiers’ faces for any indication that they’d seen something strange.
From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
