continually

adverb

con·​tin·​u·​al·​ly kən-ˈtin-yü-ə-lē 

-yə-lē

: 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

Synonyms

• again and again
• constantly
• frequently
• hourly
• much
• oft
• often
• oftentimes
• ofttimes
• over and over
• repeatedly

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

Before Wagner's hiring, Kimberly's primary storyline was pining after and continually being disappointed by Thomas Calabro's Michael Mancini. —EW.com, 9 Apr. 2025

Players in the marquee sports will keep getting richer and richer NIL deals, whether from their school, a collective, or both, because salaries continually skyrocket in every pro sport. —Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025

At the same time, geopolitical uncertainty prevails, new technologies are changing how the sector operates and social expectations are continually evolving, with implications for what healthcare workers expect from their employers. —Sally Percy, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025

Xi, despite best advice from around the world, has continually rejected consumption as the basis of the Chinese economy. —Gordon G. Chang, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English contynuely, from continuel continual + -ly -ly entry 2

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above