Word
eternal
Meanings
Lasting forever; without end.
Seeming to last for a very long time; endlessly recurring or unchanging (often used for emphasis).
Definition
Lasting forever or seeming to have no end.
If something is eternal, it has no end and exists forever. The word is often used for religious or philosophical ideas about time and existence. In everyday speech, it can also describe something that feels endlessly long or unchanging.
Examples
- I found the novel’s question about eternal meaning surprisingly difficult to ignore.
- You can hear an eternal optimism in her voice, even when the project hits setbacks.
- He spoke of eternal values, but he still had to negotiate the practical details.
- They joked about the eternal construction on their street, yet the noise wore them down.
Common mistake
Learners often confuse "eternal" with "external" (outside), but "eternal" means "lasting forever."
More at C1 level
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- xenophobia Xenophobia is a strong dislike or fear of people from other countries or cultures.
- genocide Genocide is the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular group in order to …
- conundrum A conundrum is a confusing and difficult problem to solve.
- pretentious Trying to seem more important, intelligent, or cultured than you really are.
More adjectives
- agnostic An agnostic is someone who does not claim to know whether God exists.
- pragmatic Pragmatic means focused on practical results rather than ideals or theories.
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- cynical Cynical describes believing that people are mainly motivated by self-interest and not sincere.
- apathetic Apathetic means showing little or no interest, concern, or enthusiasm.