ever

adverb

ev·er ˈe-vər

Synonyms of ever

: always

ever striving to improve

the ever-increasing population

: at any time

more than ever before

: in any way

How can I ever thank you?

—used as an intensive

looks ever so angry

am I ever happy to see you

Examples of ever in a Sentence

The crime rate is higher now than it has ever been. He's forgotten all he's ever learned about history. Have you ever been to France? She's doing fine and is as pretty as ever. No one has ever seen a better example of woodwork. Has this ever been done before? Did it ever occur to you that I might like more myself? That was the worst movie I ever saw. Technology in recent years has become ever more sophisticated. The deadline draws ever closer.

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Nightingale was the fourth-ever AEW TBS champion and held the belt for 35 days before Moné ended her first reign. — Ryan Gaydos Outkick, FOXNews.com, 29 Aug. 2026 That may matter more now than ever, as many meaningful in-person social interactions are dwindling in the face of digital alternatives. — David H. Rosmarin, Time, 29 Aug. 2026 Over its five-year prime mission, Roman is expected to map more than two billion galaxies and collect about 20 petabytes of science data, creating the largest panoramic surveys ever made from space. — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 Amazon launched its first-ever drones in California in the Lockeford area in 2022. — Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ever

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English ǣfre

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of ever was before the 12th century

See more words from the same century

Browse Nearby Words

eveque

ever

ever after

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Ever.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ever. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

ever

adverb

ev·er ˈev-ər

: at all times : always

ever faithful

: at any time

has this ever been done before

: in any way : at all

how can I ever thank you

—used especially with so to give more force to a word

thank you ever so much

ever

adverb

Synonyms of ever

Examples of ever in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

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ever

adverb

Synonyms of ever

Examples of ever in a Sentence

Word History

Phrases Containing ever

Rhymes for ever

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

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