Anymore vs Any More
Published January 17, 2023. Updated January 17, 2023.
Anymore and Any more look exactly the same (except for one space) and sound the same. So, are they the same? No, they are not. The word anymore is an adverb and means “any longer.” The phrase any more can be used like “more.” The word and the phrase are only used in negative sentences and questions. They cannot be used in a positive sentence.
Here are some definitions and examples to help make the use of these words clearer.
Anymore (adverb)
Any longer.
Examples:
With so many streaming services, do people watch television anymore?
My grandma has diabetes, so she doesn’t eat dessert anymore.
The first example is a question, not a sentence. If you change the word anymore to “any longer,” it makes sense, right? What happens if you change the question into a sentence? The asterisk (*) means the sentence is not correct. Read it out loud. Does it even make sense? The second example is a negative sentence. Again, replace anymore with “any longer.” It makes sense. But if you change the negative sentence to a positive one? Nope, that doesn’t work.
Any more (phrase)
An unspecified amount of something.
Examples:
Would you like any more gravy on your mashed potatoes?
My bookshelves are overflowing. I can’t buy any more books.
In the examples above, replace the phrase any more with just the word “more.” You’ll notice that all the sentences make sense. And the sentences that were incorrect with any more (*) become correct with just the word “more!” So it is a phrase any more that can only be used with questions and negative sentences.
Main Points
- Anymore is an adverb that means “any longer.”
- Any more is a phrase that means the same as “more.”
- Both the word anymore and the phrase any more can only be used with questions and negative sentences. They do not make sense in positive sentences.