Any Way, Anyway or Anyways | Difference, Examples & Quiz

Any way and anyway are related words with different meanings and grammatical functions.

• Any way (two words) is a combination of the determiner “any” and the noun “way.” It’s used to mean “in any manner” or “by any means.”
• Anyway (one word) is an adverb meaning “regardless” or “in spite of the circumstances.” It’s also used to transition between two unrelated topics.
• Anyways (one word) is sometimes used to mean the same thing as “anyway,” but it’s generally considered incorrect by dictionaries.

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What does any way mean?

Any way is a combination of the determiner “any” and the noun “way.” It’s used to mean “(by) any method” or “(in) any manner.” Writing “anyway” instead in these contexts is incorrect.

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What does anyway mean?

Anyway is an adverb meaning “regardless” or “despite the circumstances.” It’s typically used at the end of a sentence. It should always be written as one word when used in this sense.

Anyway is also used at the start of a sentence to signal a transition to a new topic. When used in this way, it’s followed by a comma.

Anyways

“Anyways” is sometimes used in informal contexts to mean the same thing as anyway. It’s most commonly used to signal a transition from one topic to another. However, it’s generally considered incorrect or colloquial by most dictionaries and should be avoided in formal contexts.

Worksheet: Any way or anyway

You can test your understanding of the difference between “any way” and “anyway” with the worksheet below. Fill in either “any way” or “anyway” in each sentence.

• Practice questions
• Answers and explanations

1. Is there _______ to get to the airport in 30 minutes?
2. I know it’s expensive, but I want the new car _______.
3. _______, let’s get back to work.
4. I don’t think there’s _______ we can get to the theater on time _______.
5. _______, let’s see if there is _______ to fix this problem.

1. Is there any way to get to the airport in 30 minutes?
   • “Any way” is a combination of a determiner (any) and noun (way). It’s used here to mean “any manner” or “any means.”

2. I know it’s expensive, but I want the new car anyway.
   • “Anyway” is an adverb meaning “regardless” or “in spite of the circumstances.”

3. Anyway, let’s get back to work.
   • “Anyway” can also be used as an adverb to transition between two unrelated topics.

4. I don’t think there’s any way we can get to the theater on time anyway.
   • In the first instance, “any way” (meaning “any method”) is correct. In the second instance, “anyway” (meaning “regardless”) is correct.

5. Anyway, let’s see if there is any way to fix this problem.
   • In the first instance, “anyway” is used to signal a transition to a new topic. In the second instance, “any way” (meaning “any means”) is correct.

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Frequently asked questions

What is a synonym for “anyway”?

Some synonyms and near synonyms of anyway include:

• In any case
• Nevertheless
• Nonetheless
• Regardless

Is “anyways” a word?

Anyway (no “s”) is often used at the start of a sentence to transition between two different topics (e.g., “Anyway, let’s discuss the report”).

“Anyways” (with an “s”) is sometimes used in informal contexts to mean the same thing as “anyway.” However, it’s considered incorrect by most dictionaries and should be avoided in formal contexts.