always — English Dictionary

Adverb

1. At all times; throughout all time; since the beginning.

   Usage

   • not-comparable

   Synonyms

   perpetuallycontinuallyall the timeevery time

   Antonyms

   at no timenever

   Examples

   This shop is always open.

   God is always the same.

   Green has always been my favorite color. I’ve loved it for as long as I can remember.

   More examples (2)

   Airplanes did not always exist as a form of transportation.

   Plant breeding is always a numbers game.[…]The wild species we use are rich in genetic variation, and individual plants are highly heterozygous and do not breed true. In addition, we are looking for rare alleles, so the more plants we try, the better.

2. Constantly during a certain period, or regularly at stated intervals (opposed to sometimes or occasionally).

   Usage

   • not-comparable

   Synonyms

   invariablyuniformly

   Antonyms

   manywisesundrilyvariously

   Examples

   We always eat together on Sundays.

   In this street, the shops always close during lunchtime.

   More examples (4)

   His liveries are black,—his carriage is black,—he always rides a black galloway,—and, faith, if he ever marry again, I think he will show his respect to the sainted Maria by marrying a black woman.

   They burned the old gun that used to stand in the dark corner up in the garret, close to the stuffed fox that always grinned so fiercely. Perhaps the reason why he seemed in such a ghastly rage was that he did not come by his death fairly. And why else was he put away up there out of sight?—and so magnificent a brush as he had too.

   And so it had always pleased M. Stutz to expect great things from the dark young man whom he had first seen in his early twenties ; and his expectations has waxed rather than waned on hearing the faint bruit of the love of Ivor and Virginia—for Virginia, M. Stutz thought, would bring fineness to a point in a man like Ivor Marlay,[…].

   The highway to the East Coast which ran through the borough of Ebbfield had always been a main road and even now, despite the vast garages, the pylons and the gaily painted factory glasshouses which had sprung up beside it, there still remained an occasional trace of past cultures.

   She used to always talk about how she wished she had time to write all day, but now she had the time, she never even went near the typewriter.

3. if necessary, or if there is no better option; in any event.

   Usage

   • Informal
   • not-comparable

   Synonyms

   anyhowanywayat any rateregardless

   Examples

   You can always ask a friend for help.

   I thought I could always go back to work.

Adverb

1. at all times; all the time and on every occasion

   Synonyms

   evere'er

   Examples

   I will always be there to help you

   always arrives on time

   More examples (3)

   there is always some pollution in the air

   ever hoping to strike it rich

   ever busy

2. without variation or change, in every case

   Synonyms

   constantlyinvariably

   Examples

   constantly kind and gracious

   he always arrives on time

3. invariably

   Synonyms

   constantlyforeverperpetuallyincessantly

   Examples

   the world is constantly changing

4. at any time or in any event

   Examples

   you can always resign if you don't like it

   you could always take a day off

5. forever; throughout all time

   Examples

   we will always be friends

   I shall treasure it always

   More examples (1)

   I will always love you