If you always do something, you do it whenever a particular situation occurs. If you always did something, you did it whenever a particular situation occurred.
Whenever I get into a relationship, I always fall madly in love.
She's always late for everything.
We've always done it this way.
Always lock your garage.
Synonyms: habitually, regularly, every time, inevitably More Synonyms of always
2. adverb [ADVERB before verb]
If something is always the case, was always the case, or will always be the case, it is, was, or will be the case all the time, continuously.
We will always remember his generous hospitality.
He has always been the family solicitor.
He was always cheerful.
Synonyms: forever, ever, for keeps, eternally More Synonyms of always
3. adverb
If you say that something is always happening, especially something which annoys you, you mean that it happens repeatedly.
She was always moving things around.
Synonyms: continually, constantly, all the time, forever More Synonyms of always
4. adverb
You use always in expressions such as can always or could always when you are making suggestions or suggesting an alternative approach or method.
If you can't find any decent apples, you can always try growing them yourself.
If I failed, I could always go back to being a writer.
Synonyms: as a last resort, in the end, whatever happens More Synonyms of always
5. adverb [ADVERB before verb]
You can say that someone always was, for example, awkward or lucky to indicate that you are not surprised about what they are doing or have just done.
She's going to be fine. She always was pretty strong.
You always were a good friend.
always in British English
(ˈɔːlweɪz, -wɪz)
adverb
1.
without exception; on every occasion; every time
he always arrives on time
2.
continually; repeatedly
3.
in any case
you could always take a day off work
4. informal
for ever; without end
our marriage is for always
Also (archaic): alway
Word origin
C13 alles weiss, from Old English ealne weg, literally: all the way; see all, way
always in American English
(ˈɔlweɪz; ˈɔweɪz)
adverb
1.
at all times; on all occasions; invariably
always be courteous
2.
all the time; continuously; forever
always present in the atmosphere
3.
at any time; whenever one wishes
you can always leave if the show gets boring
4.
in every instance; with no exception
Labor Day is always the first Monday of September
Word origin
ME, adv. gen. of alwei, alway < OE ealne weg: see all & way
More idioms containing
always
the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence
Examples of 'always' in a sentence
always
It was always about the performance with her.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The grandfather is always trying to find an edge to remain at the top of the sport.
The Sun (2016)
He is always saying likes my voice.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It always feels weird without the others.
The Sun (2017)
We got together by accident and there has always been something missing.
The Sun (2017)
It is always about the future and this is it.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
People have always seemed to try to do too much when they have partnered him.
The Sun (2016)
In the meantime, always shop around for a policy.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Dip, and dip again, always busy.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
The city itself will always rise again.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
She has always been going around the motorway in completely the wrong direction.
The Sun (2015)
We always try to get a new one.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
You could say it was always going to end this way.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Without one you always look like you have absconded from an open prison.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
There has always been something jarring and philosophically disconcerting about their juxtaposition.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Roses can be cut down to knee height and almost always sprout again.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
In interviews he has always bragged about his success.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
He observes those around him and always seems a little sad and pensive.
John Freely JEM SULTAN: The Adventures of a Captive Turkish Prince in Renaissance Europe (2004)
They will always try to push the boundaries.
The Sun (2007)
She always says she can hear them and worries they would also hear us.
The Sun (2013)
With my mother it was always a stoicism without fatalism.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The foreman always had something for us.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
But it was always redrawn again for the next stages along the road.
Peter F. Drucker MANAGEMENT: task, responsibilities, practices (1974)
He was always trying to help others.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
It requires more than to say we have always done it this way in the past.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
We have to go out as we always do without thinking too much about the first result.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Something that always awakened a cold beast deep in my gut.
Goshgarian, Gary Exploring language (6th edn) (1995)
And always again the mail and the tragedy.
Jackson, Rosie Mothers who Leave (1994)
Always try to enter straight to make the minimum splash.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
You always felt comfortable around her.
The Sun (2016)
He always thinks about winning games.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
We don't get much chance as my dad is always around.
The Sun (2010)
In other languages
always
British English: always /ˈɔːlweɪz; -wɪz/ ADVERB
If you always do something, you do it every time or all the time.
She's always late for school.
American English: always
Arabic: دَائِماً
Brazilian Portuguese: sempre
Chinese: 总是
Croatian: uvijek
Czech: vždy
Danish: altid
Dutch: altijd
European Spanish: siempre
Finnish: aina
French: toujours
German: immer
Greek: πάντα
Italian: sempre
Japanese: 常に
Korean: 늘
Norwegian: alltid
Polish: zawsze
European Portuguese: sempre
Romanian: întotdeauna
Russian: всегда
Latin American Spanish: siempre
Swedish: alltid
Thai: เสมอ
Turkish: her zaman
Ukrainian: завжди
Vietnamese: luôn luôn
Chinese translation of 'always'
always
(ˈɔːlweɪz)
adv
(= at all times) 总(總)是 (zǒngshì)
(= continuously) 一直 (yīzhí)
⇒ He has always been the family solicitor.他一直做家庭事务律师。 (Tā yīzhí zuò jiātíng shìwù lǜshī.)
He's always late他总(總)是迟(遲)到 (tā zǒngshì chídào)
you can/could always try again你总(總)是可以重新开(開)始 (nǐ zǒngshì kěyǐ chóngxīn kāishǐ)
All related terms of 'always'
nearly always
几(幾)乎总(總)是 jīhū zǒngshì
He's always late
他总(總)是迟(遲)到 tā zǒngshì chídào
why is he always late?
为(為)什么(麼)他总(總)是迟(遲)到？ wèi shénme tā zǒngshì chídào?