Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

forever

/fəˈɹɛvɚ/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.74 in modern English

Syllables
for-ev-er
IPA
/fəˈɹɛvɚ/
13
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
3
Syllables
5
Unique Chars

Meaning

adv

For all time, for all eternity; for a lifetime; for an infinite amount of time.

adv

For a very long time, a seeming eternity.

Colloquial

adv

Constantly or frequently.

noun

An extremely long time.

Colloquial; Countable

noun

A mythical time in the future that will never come.

Colloquial; Uncountable

adj

Permanent, lasting; constant, perpetual.

Informal

noun

Alternative form of forever.

Uncountable

Example Sentences

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *per- Proto-Indo-European *preh₂- Proto-Indo-European *pr̥h₂-i Proto-Germanic *furi Proto-West Germanic *furi Old English for Middle English for English for Proto-Indo-European *h₂ey- Proto-Indo-European *-u Proto-Indo-European *h₂óyu Proto-Indo-European *-osinflu. Proto-Germanic *aiwaz Proto-West Germanic *aiwder. Old English ā Proto-Indo-European *h₁én Proto-Germanic *in Proto-West Germanic *in Old English in Proto-Indo-European *perkʷ- Proto-Indo-European *-us Proto-Indo-European *pérkus Proto-Germanic *ferhuzder.? Proto-Germanic *ferhwą Proto-West Germanic *ferh Old English feorh ? Old English ǣfre Middle English ever English ever univ. English forever Univerbation of for ever, from Middle English for ever, for evere. By surface analysis, for + ever. First attested in the late 14c., and first attested in the late 17c. as one word. Noun first attested in 1858.

Origin

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /fəˈɹɛvɚ/
  • British English: /fəˈɹɛvə(ɹ)/

Usage

Inflected Forms

for ever (alternative, UK) fore'er (alternative) for e'er (alternative) forevers (plural)

Derived Forms

fivever foreverhood foreverness liveforever

Phrases

best friend forever diamonds are forever diarrhea forever forever after forever alone forever and a day forever and ay forever and ever

Frequently Paired Words

ever everlasting evermore every everyday never nevermore whatever

Synonyms

forevermore aeternum in perpetuum 5ever ad infinitum all the time always aye continually endlessly eternally ever

Antonyms

moment never nevermore

Rhymes With

never ever however whatever whenever whoever wherever clever whatsoever trevor whichever lever

Questions

How do you pronounce forever?
The recorded pronunciation is /fəˈɹɛvɚ/.
What does forever mean?
For all time, for all eternity; for a lifetime; for an infinite amount of time.
Where does forever come from?
It is traced to Middle English. First known use: First attested in the late 14c..

How to pronounce forever

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “forever”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/fəˈɹɛvɚ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “forever”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “forever” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.