always-on
adjective
al·ways-on
ˈȯl-wēz-ˈȯn 
-ˈän,
-wəz-,
-(ˌ)wāz-
also ˈȯ-
: always active, operating, or powered
an always-on Internet connection
When a power shortage occurs and electricity costs rise, the always-on devices scattered throughout … your facility consume increasingly expensive power.—
Gilbert Held
Examples of always-on in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The display will lack ProMotion and always-on features.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 1 Jan. 2026
And like much of the industry, OpenAI is looking at every viable power source — renewables, gas, and even nuclear — as utilities and tech companies chase always-on power that wind and solar can't reliably provide themselves.
—Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 1 Jan. 2026
Thread is now poised to handle smart-home devices and always-on sensors.
—IEEE Spectrum, 25 Dec. 2025
This is the model of the car that has the most luxurious features, from semi-aniline leather seating and massaging and heated seats in the driver and passenger seat, to a wood trim and always-on ambient lighting alongside the door panels.
—Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 23 Dec. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Always-on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/always-on. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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