everyday

Meanings

1. 1adjectivebefore a noun

   Ordinary and found in normal daily life, rather than special or unusual.

   Grammar: Only comes before a noun, written as one word: everyday life. Compare I shop every day, two words, as an adverb phrase.

   Patterns

   • everyday life
   • everyday objects

   She wrote about the everyday struggles of working parents.

   The book explains science using everyday objects like spoons and balloons.

   He wears his everyday shoes to work and saves the good pair for weddings.

2. 2adjectivebefore a noun

   Used or happening on each day as a regular part of life, rather than on special occasions.

   Grammar: Stresses routine use: everyday clothes are for ordinary days, not formal events.

   Patterns

   • for everyday use
   • everyday clothes

   These plates are for everyday use, so they are not too precious.

   A short walk is part of her everyday routine.

   The tool is built for everyday jobs around the house.

Common combinations

everyday life

The film shows the everyday life of a fishing village.

everyday objects

The artist makes sculptures from everyday objects.

everyday language

Try to explain the idea in everyday language.

everyday clothes

She changed out of her uniform and into everyday clothes.

for everyday use

These sturdy boots are meant for everyday use.

everyday problems

The group helps people with everyday problems such as paperwork.

Synonyms and how they differ

ordinary

Ordinary is the general word and can be used after a verb, whereas everyday must come before a noun.

routine

Routine suggests something done regularly and perhaps boring, while everyday just describes normal daily things.

commonplace

Commonplace suggests something so common it is unremarkable, sometimes with a slight sense of being dull.

daily

Daily means happening each day and is used for things that really occur every day, whereas everyday can simply mean normal.

Opposites

Word family

day noun

a period of twenty-four hours

daily adjective

happening each day

everydayness noun

a rare word for the quality of being ordinary

Commonly confused: everyday or every day?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “everyday”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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