eternity
noun
eter·ni·ty i-ˈtər-nə-tē 
plural eternities
1
: the quality or state of being eternal
2
: infinite time
lasting throughout eternity
3
eternities plural : age sense 3b
4
: the state after death : immortality
5
: a seemingly endless or immeasurable time
an eternity of delays
Synonyms
- everlasting
- foreverness
- infinity
- perpetuity
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
They believed that sinners would spend eternity in hell. We suffered through an eternity of delays during the lawsuit.
Recent Examples on the Web After all, what is the purpose of a museum — a thoroughly modern invention — but to function as a mechanism to preserve art objects for an eternity? 
Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2022 And now, with the innovative use of the motif with diamonds, the pattern is confirmed as synonymous with eternity. Roxanne Adamiyatt, Town & Country, 15 July 2022 Although time was still widely regarded as fluid and coterminous with eternity, the monastery was governed by the rhythms of that most modern instrument: the clock. Meghan O’gieblyn, Harper’s Magazine , 4 Jan. 2022 Westworld season 5 has not been officially confirmed by HBO, so here's hoping viewers aren't left dangling on this cliffhanger for eternity. Nick Romano, EW.com, 15 Aug. 2022 Because death is but an instant whereas life is for eternity. Elizabeth Berry, Woman's Day, 10 Aug. 2022 Some say we all will be assigned by the Judge of Judges to a kingdom — based on our virtue or lack thereof — that is most comfortable for each of us, because nobody wants to be uncomfortable for eternity. Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 17 July 2022 Onoda’s war is formed from the union of an imaginary nothing and a dream, but Onoda’s war, sired by nothing, is nevertheless overwhelming, an event extorted from eternity. A. O. Scott, The Atlantic, 17 May 2022 For others, however, the wait was forced, and seemed like an eternity. Karen Brooks Harper, San Antonio Express-News, 11 July 2022 See More
Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2022 And now, with the innovative use of the motif with diamonds, the pattern is confirmed as synonymous with eternity. Roxanne Adamiyatt, Town & Country, 15 July 2022 Although time was still widely regarded as fluid and coterminous with eternity, the monastery was governed by the rhythms of that most modern instrument: the clock. Meghan O’gieblyn, Harper’s Magazine , 4 Jan. 2022 Westworld season 5 has not been officially confirmed by HBO, so here's hoping viewers aren't left dangling on this cliffhanger for eternity. Nick Romano, EW.com, 15 Aug. 2022 Because death is but an instant whereas life is for eternity. Elizabeth Berry, Woman's Day, 10 Aug. 2022 Some say we all will be assigned by the Judge of Judges to a kingdom — based on our virtue or lack thereof — that is most comfortable for each of us, because nobody wants to be uncomfortable for eternity. Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 17 July 2022 Onoda’s war is formed from the union of an imaginary nothing and a dream, but Onoda’s war, sired by nothing, is nevertheless overwhelming, an event extorted from eternity. A. O. Scott, The Atlantic, 17 May 2022 For others, however, the wait was forced, and seemed like an eternity. Karen Brooks Harper, San Antonio Express-News, 11 July 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English eternite, from Middle French eternité, from Latin aeternitat-, aeternitas, from aeternus
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
eternity
noun
eter·ni·ty i-ˈtər-nə-tē
plural eternities
1
: time without end
2
: the state after death
3
: a period of time that seems endless
I waited an eternity.
eternity
noun
1
as in perpetuity
endless time the question whether the universe will end someday or continue to exist in eternity Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- perpetuity
- infinity
- foreverness
- everlasting
- permanence
- timelessness
- endlessness
- permanency
- boundlessness
- limitlessness
- interminableness
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- transitoriness
- impermanence
- transience
- ephemerality
- temporariness
2
as in immortality
unending existence after death a firm belief in the eternity of the soul Synonyms & Similar Words
- immortality
- beyond
- afterlife
- hereafter
- afterworld
- otherworld
3
as in forever
a long or seemingly long period of time we waited in line for tickets for an eternity Synonyms & Similar Words
- forever
- months
- long
- moon
- age
- aeon
- infinity
- blue moon
- eon
- cycle
- lifetime
- donkey's years
- coon's age
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- moment
- instant
- minute
- second
- twinkling
- twinkle
- trice
- flash
- wink
- nanosecond
- jiffy
- shake
- microsecond
- split second
- superaltars
- superaltern
- superalterns
- superambitious
- superannuable
- superannuate
- superannuated
- superannuates
- superannuating
- superannuation
- superannuations
- superannuitant
- superannuity
- superathlete
- superathletes
- superaurale
- superb
- superb bird of paradise
- superb paradise bird
- superb warbler
- superbad
- superballs
- superbank
- superbanks
- superber