Every day vs. everyday

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?

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.

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.

“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” ―Pablo Picasso

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.

Via Grammarly Blog