not perpetually

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "not perpetually" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something is not ongoing or continuous, but rather temporary or intermittent. Example: "The system is not perpetually down, but it does experience occasional outages."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

But he and his administration need to do a lot more to show they are on top of this mess, and not perpetually behind the curve.

The New York Times

Terms like "invading hordes" have been used for decades now to describe a human flow — mostly illegal since the 80s — widely seen as inevitable if not perpetually growing.

The New York Times

Care should also be taken not to glamorise suicide or its victims; and not perpetually to repeat details of past suicides at a particular place.

Independent

Nevertheless, the prospect of a substantial increase in pensioners in the remainder of the 21st century has led to fears in some quarters that the "compact between generations" may not perpetually be honoured.

Encyclopedia Britannica

"The fact that many, perhaps most addicts are in control of their actions and appetites for circumscribed periods of time shows that they are not perpetually helpless victims of a chronic disease," Dr. Satel said.

The New York Times - Arts

Hockey seems to have forgotten or ignored that budgets and fiscal policy are about the government managing the business cycle, not perpetually striving for the smallest budget deficit possible.

The Guardian - Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

In that story, "Ilk", set at a conference on narrativity, the feminist writer argues that narrative isn't "perpetually thrusting" or "ejaculating", it can be a "little subjunctive cottage by the side of the road".

The Guardian - Books

You've just been on the panel with your mates Lathos (Mark Latham), Deano (Rowan Dean and Cammo Ross Cameronon), crowing about how you saw Trump's victory coming, and how the media elite – that is, those bits of the media that don't perpetually employ you to rail against the "media elite" – didn't, because of their faith in silly things like polling.

The Guardian - Opinion

Hopefully my art practice isn't perpetually stuck in that loop!

Vice

If I can't perpetually intoxicate society, I can contribute to its betterment..@MichaelSamNFL: Consider it done.

Huffington Post

But even those of us who aren't perpetually broke and tired are still not embracing traditional methods of socializing, like sitting in a dark bar doing shots until something happens.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "not perpetually" to clearly indicate that a condition or action is temporary or intermittent, rather than continuous or permanent.

Common error

While grammatically correct, "not perpetually" can sound somewhat formal. In more casual writing, consider using simpler alternatives like "not always" or "not constantly" to maintain a natural tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "not perpetually" functions as an adverbial modifier, negating the continuous or unending nature of an action or state. It specifies that something is temporary or intermittent, as evidenced by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

44%

Science

16%

Encyclopedias

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Wiki

8%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "not perpetually" is a grammatically correct and commonly used adverbial phrase that indicates something does not continue indefinitely. Ludwig's analysis confirms its usage across diverse sources, particularly News & Media and Science, and offers alternative phrases like "not always" or "not constantly" to enhance clarity or adjust the tone. While the phrase is deemed acceptable, writers should aim at using less formal alternatives in casual writing. Ludwig's AI confirms the phrase is valid.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

not constantly

Replaces "perpetually" with "constantly", indicating that something is not happening all the time.

not eternally

Substitutes "perpetually" with "eternally", implying the absence of an unending duration.

not forever

Replaces "perpetually" with "forever", suggesting that something does not last for all time.

not persistently

Replaces "perpetually" with "persistently", focusing on the absence of unwavering continuation.

not incessantly

Substitutes "perpetually" with "incessantly", emphasizing the lack of unceasing action.

not still

Replaces "perpetually" with "still", suggesting a lack of stillness rather than a lack of continuation.

not unfailingly

Substitutes "perpetually" with "unfailingly", highlighting the absence of consistent reliability.

not invariably

Replaces "perpetually" with "invariably", showing that something does not always happen in the same way.

not chronically

Substitutes "perpetually" with "chronically", suggesting the absence of a long-lasting or recurring issue.

not ever

Replaces "perpetually" with "ever", implying that something does not happen at any time.

FAQs

How can I use "not perpetually" in a sentence?

You can use "not perpetually" to indicate that something does not continue indefinitely. For example, "The software is "not perpetually" in beta; updates are released periodically".

What can I say instead of "not perpetually"?

You can use alternatives like "not always", "not constantly", or "not continuously" depending on the specific context.

Which is correct, "not perpetually" or "never perpetually"?

"Not perpetually" is the more standard and grammatically sound construction. "Never perpetually" is redundant, as "never" already implies a lack of continuation.

What's the difference between "not perpetually" and "rarely"?

"Not perpetually" indicates that something does not continue indefinitely, while "rarely" indicates that something seldom happens. "The system is "not perpetually" down" means it's sometimes up, while "The system is "rarely" down" means it's usually up.