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Lifelong vs Forever - What's the difference?

lifelong | forever |

As an adjective lifelong

is extending for the entire duration of life.

As an adverb forever is

for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time.

As a noun forever is

an extremely long time.

lifelong

English

Alternative forms

* life-long, life long

Adjective

(-)
  • Extending for the entire duration of life.
    • They were lifelong friends; they met in elementary school and ended their lives in the same rest home.

    forever

    English

    Alternative forms

    * for ever

    Adverb

    (-)
  • (duration) for all time, for all eternity; for an infinite amount of time.
    • ''I shall love you forever .
  • * 1839 , Denison Olmsted, A Compendium of Astronomy Page 95
    • Secondly, When a body is once in motion it will continue to move forever , unless something stops it. When a ball is struck on the surface of the earth, the friction of the earth and the resistance of the air soon stop its motion.
  • (duration, colloquial) for a very long time, 'an' eternity.
    • ''We had to wait forever to get inside.
  • (frequency) constantly or frequently.
    • ''You are forever nagging me.
  • * 1912 : (Edgar Rice Burroughs), (Tarzan of the Apes), Chapter 5
    • Early in his boyhood he had learned to form ropes by twisting and tying long grasses together, and with these he was forever tripping Tublat or attempting to hang him from some overhanging branch.

    Usage notes

    * In the United Kingdom and most of the Commonwealth, the spelling for ever'' may be used instead of ''forever'' for the senses "for all time" and "for a long time". In Canada and the United States, generally only ''forever is used, regardless of sense.

    Synonyms

    * always * continually * eternally * evermore * for good * forevermore * for ever more * incessantly * until Kingdom come

    Derived terms

    * foreverness

    Related terms

    * everlasting * every * everyday * never * nevermore * whatever * whenever * whoever

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An extremely long time.
  • *
  • * 2007 , Ruth O'Callaghan, Where acid has etched
    • In the airport, holiday lovers kiss, mouth forevers , the usual argot betrays you. Desire makes love dull.
  • (colloquial) a mythical time in the infinite future that will never come.
    • ''Sure, I'd be happy to meet with you on the 12th of forever .