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Synonyms

day-to-day

American  
[dey-tuh-dey] / ˈdeɪ təˈdeɪ /

adjective

  1. occurring each day; daily.

    day-to-day chores; day-to-day worries.

  2. concerned only with immediate needs or desires without preparation for the future.

day-to-day British  

adjective

  1. routine; everyday

    day-to-day chores
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
day to day Idioms  

  1. Also, from day to day.

  2. Continuously, without interruption, on a daily basis. For example, Running this office day to day is not an easy task . [Late 1800s]

  3. live from day to day . Be interested only in immediate concerns, without thought for the future. For example, Jean lives from day to day, planning nothing in advance . Also see live for the moment .

Etymology

Origin of day-to-day

Middle English word dating back to 1150–1200

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

As deputy attorney general, he had a hand in many of the decisions as to the day-to-day operations of the department under Bondi — including on the handling of the Epstein files.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026

Meetings between the head coach and Wilcox are fewer now, it is said, because there are not as many day-to-day issues to address.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

“That higher starting yield can improve the long-term income profile of a portfolio, even if day-to-day pricing remains uneven.”

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

That might seem a bit far out for a market eager to trade on day-to-day developments.

From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026

I tried as best I could not to let the roiling uncertainties of the world impact my day-to-day work as First Lady, but sometimes there was no getting around it.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.