adj · adv · noun · 10 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/fəˈɹɛvə(ɹ)/
General-American:/fəˈɹɛvɚ/
General-American:/fɚˈɛvɚ/
General-American:/fɔɹˈɛvɚ/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɛvə(ɹ)
CMU ARPABET:F ER0 EH1 V ER0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Permanent, lasting; constant, perpetual.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: informal, not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adv
Meaning 2
For all time, for all eternity; for a lifetime; for an infinite amount of time.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Topics: duration, time
Examples
I shall love you forever.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: forevermore, in aeternum
Antonyms: none provided
3
adv
Meaning 3
For a very long time, a seeming eternity.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: colloquial, excessive, not-comparable
Topics: duration, time
Examples
We had to wait forever to get inside.
That was forever ago.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adv
Meaning 4
Constantly or frequently.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Qualifier: frequency
Examples
You are forever nagging me.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
An extremely long time.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: colloquial, countable
Examples
I haven't seen him in forever!
It took me forever to make up my mind.
Don't spend forever on the phone!
She should've been here five forevers ago!
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
A mythical time in the future that will never come.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: colloquial, poetic, uncountable
Examples
Sure, I'd be happy to meet with you on the 12th of forever.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
Alternative form of forever.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: alt-of, alternative, poetic, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
brightly beams our Father's mercy from his lighthouse evermore
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: everlastingly, eternally, evermore
Antonyms: none provided
10
adverb
Meaning 10
for a very long or seemingly endless time
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
she took forever to write the paper
we had to wait forever and a day
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: forever and a day
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Univerbation of for ever, from Middle English for ever, for evere. By surface analysis, for + ever. First attested in the late 14c., and first attested in the late 17c. as one word. Noun first attested in 1858.
Across languages
Translations
175 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Amharic:
ለዘለዓለም
(läzäläʿaläm)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Amharic:
ለዘላለም
(läzälaläm)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Amharic:
ዘለዓለም
(zäläʿaläm)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Amharic:
ዘለአለም
(zäläʾäläm)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Arabic:
إِلَى الْأَبَد
(ʔilā l-ʔabad)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Armenian:
ընդմիշտ
(əndmišt)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Armenian:
հավետ
(havet)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Belarusian:
назаўжды
(nazawždy)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Belarusian:
наве́кі
(navjéki)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Belarusian:
наве́чна
(navjéčna)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Breton:
da viken
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Bulgarian:
завинаги
(zavinagi)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Catalan:
per sempre
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Catalan:
per a sempre
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Cherokee:
ᎢᎪᎯᏛ
(igohidv)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Cherokee:
ᎢᎪᎯᏓᏊᎨᏒ
(igohidaquugesv)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Chinese Mandarin:
永久
(yǒngjiǔ)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Chinese Mandarin:
永遠 /永远
(yǒngyuǎn)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Coptic:
ϣⲁ ⲉ̀ⲛⲉϩ
(ša èneh)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Cornish:
bys vykken
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Crimean Tatar:
ebediyen
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Crimean Tatar:
ömürlik
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Crimean Tatar:
bütünley
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Czech:
navždy
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Czech:
na věky
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Danish:
for altid
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Dutch:
eeuwig
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Dutch:
(voor) altijd
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Esperanto:
ĉiam
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Finnish:
ikuisesti
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Finnish:
ikiajoiksi
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
French:
à jamais
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
French:
pour toujours
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
West-Frisian:
ivich
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Georgian:
მუდამ
(mudam)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Georgian:
სამუდამოდ
(samudamod)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Georgian:
მარად
(marad)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
German:
für immer
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
German:
ewig
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
German:
unaufhörlich
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
German:
auf immer
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
German:
für eger
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Greek:
αιώνια
(aiónia)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Ancient Greek:
ἀεί
(aeí)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Ancient Greek:
διὰ παντός
(dià pantós)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Hawaiian:
mau loa
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Hebrew:
לנצח
(lanétsaḥ)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Hebrew:
לעולם
(le'olam)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Hindi:
हमेशा के लिए
(hameśā ke lie)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Hindi:
कभी के लिए
(kabhī ke lie)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Hindi:
सदा का
(sadā kā)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Hungarian:
örökre
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Hungarian:
örökké
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Hungarian:
mindörökké
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Icelandic:
að eilífu
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Ido:
sempre
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Ido:
omnatempe
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Irish:
go bráth
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Irish:
go deo
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Italian:
per sempre
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Japanese:
永久に
(eikyū ni)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Japanese:
永遠に
(eien ni)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Japanese:
とわに
(towa ni)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Japanese:
常しえに
(tokoshie ni)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Kashubian:
na wiedno
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Khmer:
រហូត
(rahoat)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Korean:
영원(永遠)히
(yeong'wonhi)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Latin:
aeternō
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Latin:
in perpetuum
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Latin:
in omne tempus
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Latin:
perpetuum
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Lutuv:
chuozaa
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Macedonian:
засекогаш
(zasekogaš)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Malay:
selama-lamanya
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Maltese:
għal dejjem
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Manchu:
ᡝᠨᡨᡝᡥᡝᠮᡝ
(enteheme)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Marshallese:
indeeo
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Navajo:
hoolʼáágóó
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Norwegian Bokmål:
for alltid
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Norwegian Nynorsk:
for alltid
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Old English:
on ēcnesse
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Persian:
برای همیشه
(barâ-ye hamiše)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Plautdietsch:
eewichlich
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Polish:
na zawsze
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Polish:
po wsze czasy
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Polish:
na zawżdy
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Portuguese:
para sempre
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Romanian:
întotdeauna
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Romanian:
pe vecie
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Russian:
ве́чно
(véčno)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Russian:
всегда́
(vsegdá)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Russian:
навсегда́
(navsegdá)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Russian:
наве́ки
(navéki)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Russian:
наве́чно
(navéčno)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Sanskrit:
सर्वकालम्
(sarvakālam)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Sanskrit:
सर्वदा
(sarvadā)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Sanskrit:
सनातन
(sanātana)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Scottish Gaelic:
gu bràth
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Scottish Gaelic:
gu sìorraidh
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Scottish Gaelic:
a-chaoidh
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Serbo-Croatian:
заувијек
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Serbo-Croatian:
заувек
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Serbo-Croatian:
zauvijek
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Serbo-Croatian:
zauvek
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Spanish:
para siempre
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Swahili:
milele
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Swedish:
för alltid
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Swedish:
för evigt
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Tagalog:
magpakailanman
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Thai:
ตลอดไป
(dtà-lòt-bpai)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Thai:
นิรันดร
(ní-ran-dɔɔn)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Tok Pisin:
oltaim
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Turkish:
sonsuza kadar
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Turkish:
sonsuza dek
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Turkish:
daima
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Ukrainian:
наза́вжди
(nazávždy)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Ukrainian:
назавжди́
(nazavždý)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Ukrainian:
наві́к
(navík)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Ukrainian:
ві́чно
(víčno)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Ukrainian:
назавше
(nazavše)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Ukrainian:
навічно
(navično)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Ukrainian:
навіки
(naviky)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Urdu:
ہمیشہ کے لئے
(hameśā ke lie)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Uyghur:
مەڭگۈ
(menggü)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Uzbek:
abadiy
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Uzbek:
doimiy
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Vietnamese:
mãi mãi
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Vietnamese:
vĩnh viễn
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Welsh:
am byth
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Yiddish:
אויף אייביק
(oyf eybik)
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Yup'ik:
akwarpak
— for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time
Belarusian:
цэлую вечнасць
(celuju vječnascʹ)
— (colloquially) for a very long time
Bulgarian:
навеки
(naveki)
— (colloquially) for a very long time
Dutch:
een eeuwigheid
— (colloquially) for a very long time
Dutch:
eeuwen
— (colloquially) for a very long time
Dutch:
tijden
— (colloquially) for a very long time
Finnish:
ikuisuuden
— (colloquially) for a very long time
West-Frisian:
ivich
— (colloquially) for a very long time
German:
ewig
— (colloquially) for a very long time
German:
für immer
— (colloquially) for a very long time
Japanese:
永遠に
(eien ni)
— (colloquially) for a very long time
Polish:
całą wieczność
— (colloquially) for a very long time
Russian:
це́лую ве́чность
(céluju véčnostʹ)
— (colloquially) for a very long time
Swahili:
milele
— (colloquially) for a very long time
Ukrainian:
цілу вічність
(cilu vičnistʹ)
— (colloquially) for a very long time
Dutch:
eeuwig
— (colloquially) for an excessively long time
Dutch:
eindeloos
— (colloquially) for an excessively long time
Finnish:
ikuisuuden
— (colloquially) for an excessively long time
German:
ewig
— (colloquially) for an excessively long time
German:
für immer
— (colloquially) for an excessively long time
Polish:
na zawsze
— (colloquially) for an excessively long time
Russian:
це́лую ве́чность
(céluju véčnostʹ)
— (colloquially) for an excessively long time
Spanish:
por siempre
— (colloquially) for an excessively long time
Swahili:
milele
— (colloquially) for an excessively long time
Dutch:
steed
— (colloquially) constantly or frequently
Dutch:
altijd
— (colloquially) constantly or frequently
Finnish:
aina
— (colloquially) constantly or frequently
German:
ewig
— (colloquially) constantly or frequently
German:
ständig
— (colloquially) constantly or frequently
German:
unaufhörlich
— (colloquially) constantly or frequently
German:
andauernd
— (colloquially) constantly or frequently
Hindi:
सदा
(sadā)
— (colloquially) constantly or frequently
Hungarian:
örökké
— (colloquially) constantly or frequently
Irish:
de shíor
— (colloquially) constantly or frequently
Polish:
cały czas
— (colloquially) constantly or frequently
Russian:
ве́чно
(véčno)
— (colloquially) constantly or frequently
Russian:
постоя́нно
(postojánno)
— (colloquially) constantly or frequently
Spanish:
constantemente
— (colloquially) constantly or frequently
Spanish:
sin cesar
— (colloquially) constantly or frequently
Swahili:
milele
— (colloquially) constantly or frequently
Swedish:
alltid
— (colloquially) constantly or frequently
Ukrainian:
вічно
(vično)
— (colloquially) constantly or frequently
Finnish:
ikuisuus
— extremely long time
Finnish:
iäisyys
— mythical time in the infinite future
Spanish:
eternidad
— mythical time in the infinite future
