What does anytime mean?
Anytime is an adverb meaning “at any time” or “whenever you like.” It commonly expresses openness and convenience: “Call me anytime” means the speaker is available without requiring an appointment. In another use, it means that something may happen at any moment, including an inconvenient one. The word is especially common in everyday American English and is also standard in British usage, though more formal writing may prefer “at any time” or “at your convenience.” The single-word form is useful because it can work as an open-ended invitation without sounding abrupt. It also appears in familiar pairings such as “anytime of day” and “anytime of night.” Historically, “anytime” combines the Old English elements behind “any” and “time,” illustrating how English has often joined simple words into a single grammatical unit.
adverbAt any time; whenever one chooses or at whatever time is convenient. It can also mean at any possible moment, without restriction as to when.
- At whatever time is convenient, without a need to arrange a specific time.
- At any possible moment, including a time that may be inconvenient or unspecified.
"Drop by anytime; I'll leave the side door unlocked."
"Come anytime after six; I won't mind."
"The problem could occur anytime if the system is not monitored."
One word, one open door: “anytime” means no appointment needed.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does anytime come from?
Anytime is a closed compound formed from any and time. “Any” derives from Old English ǣnig, ultimately related to ǣne, meaning “one,” while “time” comes from Old English tīma. The compound became established in early modern English and is now normally written as one word.
How anytime is actually used
The word is common in everyday and informal English, especially in American usage, and is also standard in British English. More formal writing may prefer “at any time” or “at your convenience,” although these forms can carry slightly different nuances.
Easily confused with anytime
“Anytime” means at any chosen or possible time, whereas “sometime” means at an unspecified time.