Nevermore means never again, not ever in the future. When something will happen nevermore, it's gone forever and won't return.

The word sounds old-fashioned because people rarely use it in everyday conversation. You might say “I'm never doing that again” rather than “I'll do that nevermore.” But the word remains famous because of Edgar Allan Poe's eerie poem “The Raven,” where a mysterious black bird keeps croaking the single word “Nevermore” in response to a man's desperate questions about whether he'll ever see his lost love again.

In the poem, nevermore becomes more haunting each time the raven says it, reminding the man that some things are truly lost forever. The word captures a sense of finality that feels heavier and more absolute than just saying “never.” When something ends nevermore, there's no hope of its return, no second chances, no do-overs. It's the difference between saying “I'm never eating broccoli again” (which you might change your mind about) and watching summer vacation end, knowing those particular days are gone forever.