Everyday and every day are compound words, that don’t have the same meaning as the individual words they comprise. Everyday (with no space) doesn’t mean the same thing as every day (with a space). However, they do sound the exact same. Therefore it becomes super easy to confuse the two. Here’s the difference:
- Everyday is an adjective we use to describe something that’s seen or used every day. It means “ordinary” or “typical.”
- Every day is a phrase that simply means “each day.”
The Difference Between Everyday and Every Day
Everyday
Everyday is an adjective. A quick example is “everyday clothing” which refers to the ordinary clothes you wear on regular days, as opposed to outfits designated for special events or holidays.
Every Day
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.”
Adding to that, with every day you can easily replace “every” with “each.” So, if you’re talking about how often you wear black jackets, you’d say “I wear black jackets every day. It still makes sense if you replace “every” with “each”: I wear black jackets each day.
Examples: Everyday and Every Day in Sentences
- Everyday chores like shopping and housework”
- For most Brazilians, everyday crime is a much more imminent threat than terrorism. —The New York Ti
