today
Americannoun
-
this present day.
Today is beautiful.
-
this present time or age.
the world of today.
adverb
-
on this present day.
I will do it today.
-
at the present time; in these days.
Today you seldom see horses.
adjective
noun
-
this day, as distinct from yesterday or tomorrow
-
the present age
children of today
adverb
-
during or on this day
-
nowadays
Etymology
Origin of today
First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English tō dæg; see to, day
Explanation
Use today to mean this day, right now—not yesterday, and not tomorrow. If your big science project is due today and you haven't even started, you'd better get busy! Today can also mean "at the present period of time." When someone says, "Kids spend too much time online today," they mean "nowadays," or "lately," not literally on this exact day. Before the 16th century, today was two separate words, to day, and then for another three hundred years or so, it was hyphenated: to-day. But today, we simply use today.
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.
"The conversations between us have been going on continuously, including four days ago, three days ago, two days ago, one day ago, and today."
From Barron's • Jun. 3, 2026
Elon Musk highlighted Tesla’s 1,000-fold market cap growth from $1.7 billion at IPO to $1.6 trillion today.
From Barron's • Jun. 2, 2026
President Trump posted that talks have been going on continuously the past five days, including today, and again called on Iran to make a deal.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026
In a 2025 survey 60% of employers said having strong “soft” skills is more important today than it was five years ago.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026
“Since you’re under your father’s care today, you should consider returning there tonight.”
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
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.
