anyway

American  

[en-ee-wey] / ˈɛn iˌweɪ /

Nonstandard, anyways

adverb

1. in any case; anyhow; nonetheless; regardless.

   Whether you like it or not, I'm going anyway.

2. (used to continue or resume the thread of a story or account).

   Anyway, we finally found a plumber who could come right over.

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anyway British  

/ ˈɛnɪˌweɪ /

adverb

1. in any case; at any rate; nevertheless; anyhow

2. in a careless or haphazard manner

3. Usually any way . in any manner; by any means

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Spelling

The adverb anyway is spelled as one word: It was snowing hard, but we drove to the play anyway. The two-word phrase any way means “in any manner”: Finish the job any way you choose. If the words “in the” can be substituted for “any,” the two-word phrase is called for: Finish the job in the way you choose. If the substitution cannot be made, the spelling is anyway.

Etymology

Origin of anyway

First recorded in 1150–1200, anyway is from Middle English ani wei. See any, way ¹

Compare meaning

How does anyway compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• anyhow vs. anyway

Explanation

Use the adverb anyway to mean "at any rate" or "however." If you don't make the chess team at school, you might say, "I don't really have time for chess anyway." There are different ways to use anyway, but it most commonly confirms an idea or a viewpoint: "Most people already have their dogs on leashes, but it's good to have the leash law anyway." You can also use it to emphasize your sincere desire to get an answer: "Why are you here anyway?" or to talk about something happening despite efforts against it: "I told her to go home but she stayed anyway."

Example Sentences

Don’t worry if your Hogwarts acceptance letter got lost in the mail — a new “Harry Potter” experience will soon let you hop aboard the Hogwarts Express anyway.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026

Since you’re paying tax on that money anyway, using it to clear the building debt means you’re not creating any new tax bills.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026

Aged 11, he impressed in a trial with Real Madrid, but returned home anyway, a decision he calls one of the most formative of his life.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

The children are athletic and spend a lot of time together anyway, and they wanted to try it.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

If years in the System had taught him anything, it was that once you hit your teenage years, you didn’t believe in anything, anyway.

From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova

Related Words

• anyhow
• ever
• once