ever

The word “ever” means at any time. In plain terms, at any point in time, or always.

“Ever” is pronounced EH-vuh (/ˈɛvɚ/ in IPA).

Here is “ever” used in a sentence: “Have you ever been to Japan?”

Words with a similar meaning to “ever” include the dickens.

The opposite of “ever” — its antonyms — is never.

“Ever” is an adverb.

The word “ever” comes from Old English. From Old English ǣfre, probably built from ā ("always") plus an element related to feorh ("life").

“Ever” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

'Ever' means at any time, while 'never' means at no time — they are opposites. 'Ever' usually appears in questions and negatives ('Have you ever been?'), whereas 'never' makes a statement negative on its own ('I have never been'). You rarely use both together in the same clause.

'Have you ever visited Japan?' and 'It was the best meal I've ever had' are typical examples. 'Ever' often appears in questions, after superlatives, and in phrases like 'hardly ever' or 'ever since.' It emphasises any point across the whole span of time.

After a negative word you normally use 'ever,' not 'never,' to avoid a double negative. Say 'I don't ever want to go back,' not 'I don't never want to.' 'Never' already carries the negative meaning, so pairing it with another negative is considered incorrect in standard English.