forever
forever
Pronunciation
forever
/fəˈrɛvər/
First syllable: /fə/
/f/: voiceless labiodental fricative
/ə/: schwa (mid-central vowel)
Second syllable: /rɛv/
/r/: alveolar approximant
/ɛ/: open-mid front unrounded vowel
/v/: voiced labiodental fricative
Third syllable: /ər/
/ə/: schwa (mid-central vowel)
/r/: alveolar approximant (often vocalized or dropped in non-rhotic accents)
Word Form Variations
"Forever" is primarily used as an adverb and occasionally as a noun. It does not have typical variations like singular/plural forms (as it's not a countable noun) or different verb tenses/forms (as it's not a verb).
However, you might see it in phrases that create a noun-like or adjective-like sense:
Noun-like usage (referring to eternity): "the forever," "into forever"
Adjective-like usage (less common, usually hyphenated): "a forever-long journey" (though "everlasting" or "eternal" are more common adjectives)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Adverb
Definition 1: For all time; eternally; without end.
Synonyms: perpetually, endlessly, infinitely, everlastingly, always
Antonyms: never, temporarily, fleetingly, briefly
Example: "The memory of their kindness will live forever in my heart."
Definition 2: Constantly; continually; at all times. (Used to emphasize frequency or persistence)
Synonyms: constantly, continually, incessantly, always, perpetually
Antonyms: rarely, seldom, occasionally, sometimes
Example: "She's forever losing her keys."
Noun
Definition 1: An immeasurable or seemingly endless period of time; eternity. (Often used with "for" or "into")
Synonyms: eternity, infinity, perpetuity, always
Antonyms: moment, instant, second, brief time
Example: "It felt like a forever before help arrived."
Definition 2: A very long time. (Informal use)
Synonyms: ages, a lifetime, an eternity (informal)
Antonyms: a short while, a moment, a second
Example: "I haven't seen them in forever."
Examples of Use
Books:
"I wish I could bottle this feeling and keep it forever." (from To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han, 2014)
"The woods are lovely, dark and deep, / But I have promises to keep, / And miles to go before I sleep, / And miles to go before I sleep." (While not directly using "forever," Robert Frost's poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" [1923] evokes a sense of timelessness often associated with the concept of forever.)
Newspapers:
"The city council debated whether the new zoning laws would fundamentally change the character of the neighborhood forever." (As reported in The New York Times, November 2023)
"Experts warn that climate change could alter migratory patterns of birds forever." (According to The Guardian, March 2024)
Online Publications:
"Why are some pop songs just ingrained in our minds forever?" (From an article on Pitchfork, January 2025)
"The internet has changed the way we consume news forever." (From a post on TechCrunch, October 2024)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Music: "And I will love you baby, always and forever." (From the song "Always and Forever" by Heatwave, 1977)
Film: "Some infinities are bigger than other infinities." (While not using "forever," this line from The Fault in Our Stars [2014] touches on the concept of limitless time and connection.)
Television: "We could have had it all, but now it's gone forever." (A dramatic line from a fictional soap opera episode, July 2025)
Video Games: "Your legend will live on forever in the annals of this realm." (A common phrase heard from non-player characters in role-playing games, e.g., The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, 2011)
General Public Discourse:
"This traffic jam feels like it's going to last forever!" (Heard in everyday conversation, June 2025)
"I'll be forever grateful for your help." (A common expression of gratitude, April 2025)
"Are we there yet? It's taking forever!" (A common complaint from children on long journeys, May 2025)
10 Quotes Using Forever
"Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." (Mahatma Gandhi)
"A thing of beauty is a joy forever." (John Keats, Endymion)
"If you want a vision of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face — forever." (George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four)
"I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living my Mommy you'll be." (Robert Munsch, Love You Forever)
"The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever." (Jacques Yves Cousteau)
"Some infinities are bigger than other infinities." (While not directly using "forever," this line from John Green's The Fault in Our Stars [2014] conveys a similar sentiment of enduring time.)
"Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever." (Lance Armstrong)
"I intend to live forever. So far, so good." (Steven Wright)
"All water has a perfect memory and is forever trying to get back to where it was." (Toni Morrison)
"Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever." (Napoleon Bonaparte)
Etymology
The word "forever" is pretty straightforward in its origins. It's essentially a combination of two older English words: "for" and "ever."
Let's break it down:
"For": In this context, "for" comes from an Old English word that meant something like "before," "in the presence of," or "during." It had a sense of duration or extent.
"Ever": This word comes from the Old English word "æfre," which meant "always" or "at any time."
So, when you put "for" and "ever" together, you get "for ever," which literally meant something like "for all time" or "for all always."
The earliest known use of "forever" (as two separate words, "for ever") dates back to the Middle English period, around 1275. It appeared in the writings of a poet named Laȝamon. At this time, its meaning was consistent with how we understand it today: for all time; eternally; without end. It was used to express a sense of unending duration.
Over time, particularly from the late 17th century, the two words "for" and "ever" often started to be written as a single word, "forever," but the meaning remained the same. It's a great example of how English words can be built from simpler, older components to create new meanings, often by just combining them!
Phrases + Idioms Containing Forever
Forever and a day: A very long time; an eternity.
Forever young: Remaining youthful in spirit or appearance; never growing old.
Forever grateful: Extremely thankful; always feeling gratitude.
Gone forever: Lost or vanished permanently.
It feels like forever: Expressing that a period of time, though possibly short, seems extremely long.
Forever in your debt: Owing a lasting favor or gratitude to someone.
Goodbye forever: A final and permanent farewell.
Last forever: To endure indefinitely or eternally.
Promise forever: To make a commitment that is meant to be permanent.
Forever more: From now on, for all future time (often used poetically or formally).
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of forever from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
