'Nowadays' or 'Now A Days': What's the Difference Between the Two?

Should you spell the phrase ‘nowadays’ with no space or ‘now a days’? And what’s the difference between the two? We’ll answer that in detail below, plus teach you how to use it correctly in your writing.

The quick answer is that ‘nowadays’ is the most accepted way to write the phrase. ‘Now a days’ and ‘now-a-days’ are not longer considered correct.

Is It ‘Now A Days’ or ‘Nowadays’?

We just learned that ‘now a days’ is no longer considered the correct way to write the phrase. Therefore, the correct spelling would be written as a single word instead of three separate words.

Now, let’s look at some alternatives to the phrase.

‘Nowadays,’ ‘These Days’ or ‘Today’?

You’ve already learned the correct way to write the phrase. But should you use ‘nowadays,’ ‘these days,’ or ‘today’?

All of these phrases mean similar things, but the context in which you use them will make all the difference. Unlike homophones, they don't all sound the same.

For instance, you might say, ‘People don’t really wash clothes by hand today.’

It would also be correct to say, ‘people don’t really wash clothes by hand these days.’

And you could also say, ‘People don’t really wash clothes by hand nowadays.’

All three sentences make complete sense.

However, you can’t always use them interchangeably.

For example, you might say, ‘I’m going to the store today.’

But you wouldn’t be able to say, ‘I’m going to the store nowadays.’ That’s ungrammatical and incorrect.

Keep in mind that these phrases have more than one meaning. So be careful when trying to use the phrases interchangeably. We’ll show you how to use them in a sentence later on, but first, let’s define the phrase.

Definition and Meaning of ‘Nowadays’

The Merriam-Webster definition of the word is: “at the present time.”

Some synonyms of the word include:

• Anymore
• Presently
• Currently
• Right now
• Now
• Today

How to Use the Phrase in a Sentence

Now that we’ve covered the meaning and the correct spelling let’s see how to use the phrase correctly in a sentence.

• Nowadays, you have to look out for mold when you’re looking for a house.
• I didn’t think people still used Walkmans nowadays/these days.
• Nowadays, everyone uses the drive-thru. Who wants to go inside to get their food?
• I didn’t realize Gen Z thinks skinny jeans aren’t cool nowadays. I feel so old.
• Most Millennials don’t have cable nowadays. They just stream everything.
• Mrs. Cooper says that nowadays, everything has chemicals in it. Even food.

Final Thoughts on ‘Nowadays’ and ‘Now a Days’

To recap, we’ve learned the correct and acceptable spelling of the phrase. We’ve also learned that it can often be used interchangeably with phrases like ‘today’ and ‘these days.’

If you ever need help with usage, you can always come back and refresh your memory.

We’ve also got a ton of other content that helps explain confusing words and phrases in the English language.