Meaning
Perpetual (adjective) means never-ending, continuous, lasting forever, or without interruption. It can also mean seemingly endless when describing something that feels continuous.
Grammar and Usage
- Part of speech: Adjective
- Often used before nouns (e.g., perpetual motion, perpetual fear).
- Can be used figuratively (e.g., perpetual arguments).
Patterns:
- perpetual + noun (perpetual struggle, perpetual silence)
- in perpetual motion (constantly moving)
Common Phrases
- Perpetual motion – something that keeps moving endlessly.
- Perpetual state of… – being stuck in an ongoing condition.
- Perpetual license – software or service license that lasts indefinitely.
- Perpetual optimism – constant or unending positivity.
Collocations
- perpetual motion
- perpetual darkness
- perpetual cycle
- perpetual problem
- perpetual youth
- perpetual noise
Examples
- The region is locked in a perpetual conflict.
- His perpetual optimism makes him a great leader.
- The machine seemed to be in perpetual motion.
- They lived in perpetual fear of being discovered.
- The island enjoys perpetual sunshine during the summer.
- She felt caught in a perpetual cycle of work and exhaustion.
- The contract grants the company a perpetual license to use the software.
- His perpetual complaints annoyed everyone around him.
Synonyms or Related
- everlasting
- eternal
- endless
- unceasing
- constant
Antonym
- temporary
- momentary
- short-lived
- finite