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.
"I wouldn't be here today if she hadn't done that," he said.
From BBC • Jun. 13, 2026
According to a report by the InSight Crime think tank, Guerrero made Tren de Aragua "what it is today during his incarceration at Tocoron."
From Barron's • Jun. 13, 2026
The 1980s had a lot in common with today, including a permissiveness that allowed powerful celebrities like Lestat to escape consequences.
From Salon • Jun. 13, 2026
We’ve got five months to visit and revisit these topics, and today I’m going to focus on the first, so here we go.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 13, 2026
So there’s a good chance my “gift” will get stronger sometime later today.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
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.
