eternity

noun

eter·​ni·​ty i-ˈtər-nə-tē How to pronounce eternity (audio)
plural eternities
Synonyms of eternitynext
1
: the quality or state of being eternal
2
: infinite time
lasting throughout eternity
3
eternities plural : age sense 3b
4
: the state after death : immortality
5
: a seemingly endless or immeasurable time
an eternity of delays

Examples of eternity in a Sentence

They believed that sinners would spend eternity in hell. We suffered through an eternity of delays during the lawsuit.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There was also a strange lull in the middle when Jagger was trying to have a conversation with the crowd for what felt like an eternity. Saad Yousuf, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026 For what felt like an eternity — but was really 20 minutes — the whole place was enveloped in an eerie silence, the only sound being the steady thump of techno-pop playing through the loudspeakers. Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2026 The filing deadline for the Maryland primary is not until later this month and there is an eternity between now and the June primary. Philip Elliott, Time, 4 Feb. 2026 Five minutes can be an eternity in montage time, but the movie’s lengthy introduction is a daring announcement of historical scope. Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 1 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for eternity

Word History

Etymology

Middle English eternite, from Middle French eternité, from Latin aeternitat-, aeternitas, from aeternus

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of eternity was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Eternity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/eternity. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

eternity

noun
eter·​ni·​ty i-ˈtər-nət-ē How to pronounce eternity (audio)
plural eternities
1
: the quality or state of being eternal
2
: endless time
3
: the state after death : immortality
4
: time that seems to be endless

More from Merriam-Webster on eternity

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