never-ending
7 synonyms and 3 antonyms for never-ending, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adjective — Seeming to continue for ever, usually because it is tedious or exhausting.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. adjective
Seeming to continue for ever, usually because it is tedious or exhausting.
“The never-ending paperwork is what finally drove her out of teaching.”
Opposites
How to use never-ending
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
a never-ending cycle
never-ending story
never-ending stream of
seemingly never-ending
Neutral, and usually hyperbole rather than literal truth. Normally hyphenated before a noun; 'never ending' unhyphenated is common but less careful.
Etymology
Formed from never and ending.
Full origin of never-ending →Frequently asked questions
Is it 'never ending' or 'never-ending'?
Hyphenate it when it comes before the noun it describes, as in 'a never-ending debate', because the two words work as a single modifier. After the verb, as in 'the debate seems never ending', the hyphen is optional and often dropped.
What is the difference between never-ending and endless?
They are very close synonyms. 'Endless' is the plainer and shorter word and can also suggest vast physical extent, as in 'endless plains', while 'never-ending' emphasises duration and more often carries a note of weariness.
