eternally

American

[ih-tur-nl-ee] / ɪˈtɜr nl i /

adverb

in a way that is ceaseless, endless, or perpetual.

We call on all citizens to be eternally vigilant in ensuring that human rights are protected and sustained.
in a way that is enduring and unchanging.

The couple is eternally grateful for the support shown by their community.
Metaphysics. in a way that exists outside of time, without beginning or end.

I worry I will be eternally tormented in hell, or at the very least punished severely here on earth.

Other Word Forms

noneternally adverb
quasi-eternally adverb

Etymology

Origin of eternally

eternal ( def. ) + -ly

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.

Most of the unhappy denizens of Dante’s imagined hell are being eternally tormented for specific moral crimes in categories covering lust, gluttony, greed, anger, heresy, violence, fraud and treachery.

From Salon • Mar. 8, 2026

Barcelona's eternally unfinished Sagrada Familia has grown to become the world's tallest church, but a conflict with residents threatens to delay the finish date for the monument designed over 140 years ago.

From Barron's • Feb. 10, 2026

They are eternally simply themselves, grasped in a minute.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 4, 2026

"He will always be in our hearts and eternally missed. We take comfort knowing that his legacy will live on forever."

From BBC • Nov. 30, 2025

“We would be eternally miserable if our errors worried us too much, because as we push forward, we will make plenty more.”

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023