Continuing

Continuing is the present participle of the verb continue, and it can function as an adjective, a noun (a gerund), or a verb form in various tenses. It conveys the sense of persistence, duration, or something that remains in progress without a defined end. In usage, continuing typically describes actions, states, or processes that extend over time, often despite interruptions.

Etymology and usage notes

The term continuing derives from continued from Latin continuus, meaning unbroken, with the sense of bringing things forward without interruption. Through Old and Middle English, the word evolved into its current participial form, widely used in everyday language and in formal contexts. As an adjective, continuing modifies nouns to emphasize ongoing nature, as in “a continuing effort” or “continuing concerns.”

Domain-specific uses

In education, continuing education refers to learning activities pursued after formal schooling, commonly for professional development, licensure maintenance, or personal enrichment. In law and policy, the adjective appears in phrases such as continuing violation or continuing resolution, the latter referring to provisional funding measures that maintain government operations when regular appropriations are delayed. In business and project management, continuing work or continuing operations describe activities that proceed without a formal endpoint, often as part of a larger program or lifecycle.

See also

Related terms include continue, continuation, continuous, and continuity. While related, each word emphasizes different aspects of duration, persistence, or unbroken progression.