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Definition of chronically

chronically

/ˈkrɑː.nɪ.kli/
chron · i · cal · ly
Adjective:chronic
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chronically Lexical Profile

chronically Game Scores & Validity

• adverb

1

In a persistent and recurring way over a long period of time, especially regarding an illness, medical condition, or social problem.

Example

"The public school system in the district has been chronically underfunded for decades."

2

British In a very bad, severe, or objectionable manner.

Example

"The team played chronically in the second half and deserved to lose the match."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for chronically
Antonyms
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• Rhymes for chronically

• Nearby Words

chromis
chromium
chronic
chronically
chronicle
chronicler
chronological

Word Origin & Etymology

Formed from the adjective 'chronic' plus the suffix '-ally', ultimately deriving from the Ancient Greek 'khronikos' (of time), from 'khronos' (time).

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Chronically. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/chronically
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