constantly

The word “constantly” means happening all the time or very often; without stopping. In plain terms, all the time, again and again, without a break.

“Constantly” is pronounced KONS-tuhnt-lee (/ˈkɑnstənʔli/ in IPA).

Here is “constantly” used in a sentence: “The phone rang constantly all afternoon.”

Words with a similar meaning to “constantly” include incessantly, nonstop, invariably and uniformly.

“Constantly” is an adverb.

“Constantly” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

'Continuously' means without any break — a continuous sound never stops. 'Constantly' usually means very often or again and again, even if there are small gaps. A machine that hums continuously never falls silent; someone who constantly checks their phone does it repeatedly, not literally without pausing. The two are easy to confuse.

It often does, though not always. Because it stresses that something happens again and again without let-up, 'constantly' frequently describes annoyances — 'constantly complaining,' 'constantly interrupting.' It can be neutral or positive too, as in 'constantly improving,' but the sense of relentless repetition often carries a hint of impatience.

It is a matter of degree. 'Frequently' means often, with clear gaps between occasions. 'Constantly' is stronger, suggesting something happens all the time or almost without stopping. A shop you visit frequently, you go to regularly; a child who is constantly hungry seems hungry nearly every waking moment.