When comparing any where vs anywhere, the answer is simple: anywhere is the correct, standard spelling. "Any where" written as two separate words is a spelling error. It doesn't appear in any major English dictionary, and editors across American, British, and Australian English treat it as a mistake. If you've been writing it as two words, you're not alone, but the fix is an easy one.
The correct form: anywhere
Anywhere is an adverb. It means "in, at, or to any place" and functions in sentences the same way that words like somewhere, everywhere, and nowhere do. All four of those words are written as single, closed compounds. That's the pattern English settled on centuries ago, and anywhere follows it without exception.
Examples of correct use:
- "She couldn't find her keys anywhere."
- "You can sit anywhere you like."
- "Is there anywhere nearby to get coffee?"
None of these would use "any where." The two-word form simply isn't standard, and no style guide endorses it.
Why people write "any where" as two words
English compound words have a reputation for inconsistency, and that reputation is earned. "Some time" and "sometime" are both valid, depending on context. "Any more" and "anymore" split along American vs. British lines. With that kind of variation in the language, it's reasonable to wonder whether "any where" might also be acceptable. It isn't.
The confusion likely comes from analogy. Writers who know that "any time" can be two words assume the same logic applies to place-based compounds. It doesn't. "Anywhere," "somewhere," "everywhere," and "nowhere" have been fully fused into single words for so long that splitting them reads as a clear error rather than a stylistic choice.
Autocorrect sometimes catches "any where" and sometimes doesn't, which lets the misspelling slip through into finished writing. A quick search through your document for the two-word version is worth doing before you publish anything formal.
How "anywhere" works in a sentence
Anywhere is an adverb, which means it modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. It answers the question "where?" and it can appear at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence without changing its meaning.
It also works in the phrase "anywhere near," meaning "at all close to." For example: "The results weren't anywhere near what we expected." That's an idiomatic use that shows up often in informal and journalistic writing.
One related question writers sometimes ask: can "anywhere" function as a noun? Loosely, yes. "Anywhere is better than here" treats it as a stand-in for a place. That usage is informal but widely accepted, and it still uses the single-word spelling.
Anywhere vs. any place
"Anywhere" and "any place" aren't the same thing, though they often do the same job. "Any place" is more informal and mostly American. "Anywhere" is standard across all dialects and registers, which makes it the safer choice in formal writing. If you're writing a business document, an academic paper, or any professional communication, "anywhere" is the right pick.
The same logic that governs afterall vs after all applies here: when English fuses a compound into a single word, the two-word version stops being acceptable and becomes a spelling error. "Anywhere" crossed that line a long time ago.
Quick comparison: the -where words
Every English word in the -where family follows the same rule. They're all closed compounds, written without a space or hyphen:
- Anywhere: any place
- Somewhere: some unspecified place
- Everywhere: all places
- Nowhere: no place
None of these words split into two parts in standard English. "No where," "every where," and "some where" are all errors, just as "any where" is. The pattern is consistent, which makes it easy to remember.
If you're brushing up on common English errors, it's worth noting how often sound drives spelling mistakes. The same thing happens with incase vs in case, where a phrase spoken quickly starts to look like a single word on the page. With "anywhere," the pressure runs the other direction: a word that's always been one unit gets split because the writer expects more flexibility than the language offers.
The short answer
Write anywhere as one word, every time. "Any where" is a misspelling. There's no context, dialect, or register where the two-word form is correct. The Merriam-Webster entry for anywhere lists only the single-word form, and that's consistent with every other major dictionary. If you see "any where" in your own drafts, correct it.