Everyday (with no space) doesn’t mean the same thing as every day (with a space). In speech, however, they do sound the same. No wonder it’s so easy to confuse them with one another. What does each phrase mean and how do you use them? Let’s look at the definitions, along with some examples.
Everyday (as one word) is an adjective. Thesauruses list average, ordinary, and standard as synonyms. “Everyday clothing,” then, refers to the ordinary clothes you wear on regular days, as opposed to outfits designated for special events or holidays. Occasionally, people use everyday as a noun—it’s a shorthand way of referring to their everyday routines. Here are some quotes to help you understand how to use everyday.
“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” ―Pablo Picasso
“The most significant gifts are the ones most easily overlooked. Small, everyday blessings: woods, health, music, laughter, memories, books, family, friends, second chances, warm fireplaces, and all the footprints scattered throughout our days.” ―Sue Monk Kidd
“We draw ever nearer to the end of our allotted span of time, bidding it farewell as it trails off behind. Repeating, often adroitly, the endless deeds of the everyday. Leaving behind a feeling of immeasurable emptiness.” ―Haruki Murakami, Sputnik Sweetheart
Every day means “each day.” The easiest way to remember this is to think about the space separating the two words. Because of that space, “every” is simply an adjective modifying the word “day.” If you paired every with any other word, it would mean each.
I want to buy every album that Barbra Streisand has ever made. = I want to buy each of Barbra Streisand’s albums.
I want to eat mashed sweet potatoes every day of my life. = I want to eat mashed sweet potatoes each day of my life.
Here are a few more quotes to illustrate the usage of “every day.”
“So, it’s not gonna be easy. It’s gonna be really hard. We’re gonna have to work at this every day, but I want to do that because I want you. I want all of you, forever, you and me, every day.” ―Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook
“May you live every day of your life.” ―Jonathan Swift
“The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied with it; and every day confirms my belief of the inconsistency of all human characters, and of the little dependence that can be placed on the appearance of merit or sense.” ―Jane Austen
So, can you describe the difference between everyday and every day? The one-word adjective everyday means “commonplace, daily, or routine.” Everyday as a noun refers to the mundane or the routine. Every day as two words means “each day.” Practice a few times every day this week, and distinguishing the two will become an everyday experience!
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