English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology

adv B2 Upper-Intermediate Uncommon

eternally

ih-TUR-nuh-lee

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Eternally (adv) means Forever; for all time. Example: “She swore she would love him eternally.”

adv

1

Forever; for all time.

"I shall be eternally grateful for your assistance."

"Finding realistic needle-moving signings is especially hard when clubs do not want to sell at this stage of a campaign, while you are eternally at the mercy of those with bigger teeth and sharper claws further up the food chain." — Glenn Speller, Championship transfer window winners and losers (2026)

"She swore she would love him eternally."

2

Constantly or repeatedly, in an exasperated sense.

"He's eternally forgetting his keys."

How to use eternally

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishForever, or (informally) all the time, without stopping.

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

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She swore she would love him _____.

Etymology

Comes from Middle English eternally or eternaly, equivalent to eternal plus -ly.

Origin: Middle English

Synonyms

everlastingly evermore forever forevermore until hell freezes over incessantly nonstop

Related words

years never always often usually direct forever keeps

Rhymes for eternally

ally bally sally Wally dally rally tally pally really locally usually equally

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Frequently asked questions

What does “eternally” mean?

The word “eternally” means forever; for all time. In plain terms, forever, or (informally) all the time, without stopping.

How do you pronounce “eternally”?

“Eternally” is pronounced ih-TUR-nuh-lee (/ɪˈtɝ.nə.li/ in IPA).

How do you use “eternally” in a sentence?

Here is “eternally” used in a sentence: “She swore she would love him eternally.”

What is another word for “eternally”?

Words with a similar meaning to “eternally” include forevermore, until hell freezes over, incessantly and nonstop.

What part of speech is “eternally”?

“Eternally” is an adverb.

Is “eternally” a common word?

“Eternally” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

How many meanings does “eternally” have?

“Eternally” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: forever; for all time.

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years never always often usually direct forever keeps