adverb

• 1At all times; on all occasions.

  ‘the sun always rises in the east’

  More example sentences

  • ‘This annual dinner for the committee and their friends is always an enjoyable occasion.’
  • ‘Over the years it seemed to become a household name and the event is always an occasion to look forward to.’
  • ‘This is always a lovely community occasion and a large attendance is anticipated.’
  • ‘On these occasions he always professed his innocence of the murder, although he knew who did it.’
  • ‘Traffic problems should not be allowed spoil what is always a truly great occasion.’
  • ‘In the run up to special occasions, I always buy a large Stilton and stand it on a dish in the fridge.’
  • ‘Remember those days and evenings when the sun always shone and cricket was the only game in town?’
  • ‘They fly in low, up to two dozen pairs at a time, always along the edge closest to the sun and always facing into the wind.’
  • ‘Life is blissful where the sun always shines and the money keeps rolling in.’
  • ‘It's as if the contestants really are in an enchanted land, one where the sun always shines.’
  • ‘The sun always shines on this side of the hills but the beech trees give lots of shade.’
  • ‘Because of the astronomical position of Mercury, it is always close to the Sun.’
  • ‘It is always an honour to rise at the start of a parliamentary session and make a speech.’
  • ‘In her memory, the sun was always shining, the air warm, though it was really late fall.’
  • ‘It was a pretty close vote but it shows that quality will always rise to the top.’
  • ‘And the staff are always at the end of a telephone to provide additional support.’
  • ‘We, as a nation, are always complaining of staff shortages in these establishments.’
  • ‘War should in any case always be a last resort in settling an international conflict.’
  • ‘Occupying powers always resort to such methods to subdue resistance to their rule.’
  • ‘For any Christian the resort to arms must always be the very last resort.’

  Synonyms

  every time, each time, at all times, all the time, on every occasion, on all occasions, consistently, invariably, without fail, without exception, regularly, repeatedly, habitually, unfailingly, infallibly, inevitably

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  1. 1.1Throughout a long period of the past.
     ‘she had always been an obstinate sort’
     More example sentences

     • ‘Throughout this period, there had always been a minority of rebels who challenged the rule of the clock.’
     • ‘In the past, I've always known every summer what I'm going to be doing the following season.’
     • ‘Ms Benson said that their phone lines were always quiet in the period coming up to Christmas.’
     • ‘When you look at past winners they have always been from Oxford and Cambridge so to be in that league is fantastic.’
     • ‘Martin has a year to run on his contract and in the past he has always shown a willingness to honour that.’
     • ‘At one of my past jobs, someone always left a copy of the newspaper in the toilets.’
     • ‘It was not always so and in past times it was a big event on St. Stephen's Day every year.’
     • ‘Their experimentation in the past always appeared to work by accident rather than by design.’
     • ‘Buried inside the compliment is the rejoinder that this wasn't always the case in the past.’
     • ‘Mr Smith said his curse followed gipsy tradition and had always worked in the past.’
     • ‘In the past, security was always closely linked to the issue of social security.’
     • ‘Pannal to their credit maintained a positive attitude throughout and were always on the lookout for goals.’
     • ‘Being with my patient over an 18 month period was not always easy, or gratifying.’
     • ‘If you keep doing what you have always done in the past you will keep getting the exact same results.’
     • ‘They had always had some past cricketer who would tour and be the manager.’
     • ‘We want to break the monotony we have had in the past of always waiting for the main show in June.’
     • ‘We had a set of best clothes for Sundays and special occasions and always wore a hat to church.’
     • ‘The owners were torn about the decision and regular staff meetings always produced discussion.’
     • ‘Health-conscious Julie Doyle always avoided the sun because of her fair skin.’
     • ‘He became well known for his natty dress sense and the rose he always wore in his buttonhole.’
  2. 1.2For all future time; forever.
     ‘she will always be missed’
     More example sentences

     • ‘It will never be over in my heart though because she will always be there, forever and ever.’
     • ‘Similarly, you get the feeling that speech recognition is the technology of the future and always will be.’
     • ‘We should always act in such a way to make certain there will always be a human future.’
     • ‘There is never any guarantee that such a situation will always prevail in the future.’
     • ‘Because no matter how tomorrow may look, the future will always work itself out.’
     • ‘This thing can never be forsaken; keep this always and forever in your mind.’
     • ‘It is always going to be a future benefit and always, to some extent, a contingent benefit.’
     • ‘Paolozzi may find his inspiration in the past but the future is what will always truly concern him.’
     • ‘They were members of the old stock of the Parish and she will be always missed.’
     • ‘Of a very kind and friendly nature, he will be very sadly missed, and always remembered.’
     • ‘He was a humble, kind and giving man who will be missed and always remembered by all who knew him.’
     • ‘He said he hoped this gave them closure but they would always have one person missing.’
     • ‘We will always miss her tremendous dedication and sincerity, and the friendliness of her presence.’
     • ‘My grandmother was one of the most influential people in my life and I will always miss her.’
     • ‘He said that, through them, he has learned he will always miss a cigarette.’
     • ‘There may be more television work in the future, but there will always be football.’
     • ‘But his weakness as a human being will always prevent him from rising to the pinnacle of greatness.’
     • ‘Yet for one man, and one team, the tournament marked a new high, a memory on which the sun will always shine.’
     • ‘There will always be staff sickness, but the high costs show how important it is to get the action plan in place.’
     • ‘There will always be something missing from a game played on this surface.’
     Synonyms

     forever, permanently, for always, for good, for good and all, perpetually, ever, evermore, for evermore, for ever and ever, for all time, for all future time, until the end of time, eternally, for eternity, in perpetuity, everlastingly, endlessly

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  3. 1.3Repeatedly and annoyingly.
     ‘she is always making derogatory remarks’
     More example sentences

     • ‘Then there was the obligatory annoying kid that you always get in these movies.’
     • ‘I suppose some would call it a woman's book which always sounds a bit derogatory to me.’
     • ‘I loved Halloween but the costume selection part of it was always the most annoying.’
     • ‘Liam had always been the annoying kid next door who my mother constantly nagged me to be nice to.’
     • ‘His greatest problem has always been that they inevitably prove to be incompatible.’
     • ‘Most probably, but consistency has always been our bugbear so we must wait and see.’
     • ‘The defeat he always insisted was inevitable has come and gone and cost Celtic nothing.’
     • ‘As usual a request would crop up for a song from Johnny Kelly and always there had to be a repeat.’
     • ‘Time is always available for politicians to endlessly repeat their deceptive claims, however.’
     • ‘There's something that always seems to be missed when talking about re-design.’
     • ‘While this is all good and well there is something that we always miss out on.’
     • ‘The rations handed out to the poor are always missing one or two items.’
     • ‘Before there was always something missing that prevented the analogy from being complete.’
     • ‘Did you ever notice that they always seem to want to have the last word on an argument?’
     • ‘It always amazes me when people seem to take forever to get things like domain names, or company formations.’
     • ‘In the good times the chief executive's pay always seems to rise at a faster rate than earnings.’
     • ‘You simply cannot move the country forward if you are always focused on the past.’
     • ‘They are always referring to my past, but honestly I never think about that night in Munich any more.’
     • ‘It saddens me that no matter how much he does that is good and positive, his past is always thrown in his face.’
     • ‘No matter what time of the day or night you go through, everyone's always honking their horn.’
     Synonyms

     continually, continuously, constantly, forever, repeatedly, perpetually, incessantly, ceaselessly, unceasingly, endlessly, interminably, eternally, the entire time, permanently

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• 2As a last resort; failing all else.

  ‘if the marriage doesn't work out, we can always get divorced’

  More example sentences

  • ‘As a last resort you could always throw out the computer, but could you survive without eBay?’
  • ‘Failing this there is always the marvellous views of the French Alps to look forward to.’
  • ‘I think separation seems a bit more straightforward than a divorce and we can always get one at a later stage.’
  • ‘Failing that, inside the house there is always at least one space we turn to by way of retreat.’
  • ‘Failing that, they can always use some insulating tape and chewing gum to hold the spaghetti together.’
  • ‘Whatever the future holds, Strasser will always have his high-profile past to relish.’
  • ‘If things don't work out, you can always go to law school.’

  Synonyms

  as a last resort, whatever the circumstances, no matter what, in any event, in any case, come what may

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