always
Americanadverb
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every time; on every occasion; without exception.
He always works on Saturday.
- Synonyms:
- consistently, regularly
-
all the time; continuously; uninterruptedly.
There is always some pollution in the air.
- Synonyms:
- unceasingly, perpetually, constantly
-
Will you always love me?
-
in any event; at any time; if necessary.
She can always move back with her parents.
adverb
-
without exception; on every occasion; every time
he always arrives on time
-
continually; repeatedly
-
in any case
you could always take a day off work
-
informal for ever; without end
our marriage is for always
Related Words
Both always and ever refer to uniform or perpetual continuance. Always often expresses or implies repetition as producing the uniformity or continuance: The sun always rises in the east. Ever implies an unchanging sameness throughout: Natural law is ever to be reckoned with.
Etymology
Origin of always
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English alwayes, alleweyes, alles weis, alteration of alle wey alway
Explanation
To always do something is to never stop doing it, or to do it every time. Some people believe that if you always say “please” and “thanks,” everyone will love you. They’re wrong, but still — say “please” and “thanks.” The adverb always came about in the mid 14th century. It came from a pair of Old English words, ealne weg, which literally meant "all the way." A lot of times when people use the word they're exaggerating. If you routinely roll into work after everyone else has settled down at their desks, you boss might accuse you of "always" being late, even if you're only late once or twice a week.
Vocabulary lists containing always
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.
Even Steve Jobs had to learn, painfully, that hardware excellence is not always where the next era is won.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026
“I always thought ‘Wonder Man’ was special, so I felt I had the win in my pocket even before we put it out,” he says.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026
As with pure meme stocks, earnings day isn’t always about earnings.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026
Even with complete local information, a surface's full shape cannot always be uniquely determined.
From Science Daily • Apr. 22, 2026
“You and Nate don’t understand him like I do, and I suck at explaining things properly. I always end up making things sound worse than they are.”
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
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.
