eternally
B2Pronunciation
UK
- /ɪtˈɜːnəli/
US
- /iˈtɜrnəli/
- /ɪˈtɜrnəli/
Description
- forever
- always
- without end
- for all time
To say something happens "eternally" is usually to say it goes on forever, without end. It often appears in writing about love, loyalty, memory, beauty, or spiritual ideas, where the feeling is deep and lasting. You might promise to love someone "eternally" or say you are "eternally grateful." In everyday speech, it can also mean always or constantly, often with a touch of humor, as in someone being "eternally late." The word gives a strong sense of permanence, and sometimes of something that seems to go on far beyond ordinary time.
"Eternally" describes something that lasts forever or seems to continue without end. It is often used for deep feelings, lasting truths, and ideas that feel bigger than ordinary life. Love can be described as lasting "eternally," a person can be "eternally grateful," and a memory can live on "eternally" in someone's heart. In these uses, the word suggests permanence, timelessness, and a sense that something will not fade.
The word is also common in religious, spiritual, and literary language. It can point to life beyond death, truths believed to be unchanging, or beauty that seems untouched by time. In stories and poems, it often helps create a feeling of something steady and lasting while the world around it changes.
But "eternally" is not only grand or poetic. In everyday English, it can also mean always or constantly, especially when someone is talking with exaggeration. If a friend is "eternally late," the speaker usually does not mean literally forever. They mean it happens again and again, so often that it feels endless. In the same way, a person might complain that a machine is "eternally breaking down" or joke that a child is "eternally asking questions."
So the word has two main shades of meaning. In one, it points to something endless and timeless. In the other, it means always or constantly in a strong, expressive way. Both uses share the same basic idea: something that does not seem to stop.
Examples
- 1
Gratitude
I will be eternally grateful for everything you did for my family.
- 2
Famous role
For many fans, she will be eternally associated with that role.
Pattern
eternally associated with + person/role/event
always remembered in connection with it
- 3
Youth ideal
The company keeps selling the dream of staying eternally young.
- 4
Habitual lateness
He is eternally late, no matter what time the meeting starts.
Usage
eternally late
always late; often emphatic, not literally forever
- 5
Optimistic attitude
Even after all those setbacks, she remained eternally optimistic.
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- eternallyadverb