What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
continually
Example
The baby was continually crying throughout the night. [continually: adverb]
Example
I am continually impressed by her dedication to her work. [continually: adverb]
perpetually
Example
The city was perpetually busy with people and traffic. [perpetually: adverb]
Example
He seemed to be perpetually unhappy, no matter what we did to cheer him up. [perpetually: adverb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Continually is more commonly used in everyday language than perpetually. Continually is versatile and can be used in various contexts, while perpetually is less common and typically used in more formal writing.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between continually and perpetually?
Perpetually is more formal than continually. It is typically used in academic or technical writing, while continually can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
