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perennially

C2
adverb

Pronunciation

UK

  • /pərˈɛnɪəli/

US

  • /pərˈɛniəli/

Description

Imagine a wildflower that comes back year after year. That gives you the basic feeling of "perennially." It describes something that happens again and again, or something that stays true over a long time. A team might be perennially strong, meaning it is strong almost every year. A problem can be perennially unresolved, meaning it keeps returning or never really gets fixed. It is more than just "often"; it suggests a lasting pattern.

Examples

  1. 1

    Garden

    The garden stays perennially green, even in winter.

  2. 2

    Museum exhibit

    The museum’s dinosaur exhibit is perennially popular with children.

  3. 3

    Sports ranking

    Our local team is perennially near the bottom of the league.

  4. 4

    Staffing shortage

    The clinic is perennially short of nurses.

    • Pattern

      short of + resource

      not having enough of it

  5. 5

    Meeting habits

    She is perennially late to meetings, so we usually start without her.

  6. 6

    Optimistic attitude

    He remains perennially optimistic, even when the project runs into problems.

Forms and spellings

1 form open this card.

Main spelling

  • perenniallyadverb