“Anymore” vs. “Any More”: What’s the difference?

“Anymore” vs. “Any More”

If you’re wondering whether “anymore” is one word or two, the answer is both! But it depends on the usage and context. Both spellings are technically correct, but if you’re using “anymore” when you should use “any more”, your writing won’t make sense because one is a quantifier and the other refers to time. Understanding what each word means will help you to use them correctly.

Definition of “any more”

When spelled as two words, “any more” is a determiner that is frequently used to refer to quantities. It can be used to refer to an indefinite quantity, a tiny amount, or anything in between. For example:

• Do you have any more of that incredible pie?
• You just had a piece; you don’t need any more!
• I can’t eat any more food; I am totally full.

Any more is used in questions and negative statements that denote a quantity.

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• You can’t do a hand stand any more than I can do a back flip.

There are other uses where the words must be kept separate; when “more” modifies an adjective, “any” must be a separate word. For instance:

• It doesn’t get any more exciting than this!

Definition of “anymore”

When “anymore” is used as a single word, it’s an adverb that refers to time. It can be used to mean “at present,” “any longer,” or “still,” and in some informal contexts can be used in place of “nowadays.”

• I don’t want to go to the party anymore; I’d rather stay home.
• You’re not a child anymore.
• Why doesn’t mom make a big Sunday dinner anymore?
• Good works is almost impossible to come by anymore.

“Anymore” is typically used in a negative context to refer to how frequently something is or isn’t happening. If you’re using “anymore” in place of nowadays, it should absolutely be with a negative inflection to avoid confusing your readers.

Using “anymore” vs. “any more”

Confusing these two words is a common grammatical error. If you’re having a hard time with which word to use, a helpful way to think about using “anymore” versus “any more” is to remember that “any more” has two words and is used for quantities while “anymore” is an adverb.

Brush up on other commonly confused words like accept vs. except and make your writing clearer.