Anytime vs. Any Time: Which One Should You Use?

Both forms are correct English. The choice between them depends on how the word functions in your sentence — and once you understand that, the decision becomes simple.

Quick answer: Use anytime (one word) when it means “whenever” or “at any time.” Use any time (two words) when it follows the preposition at, or when you need the noun phrase “any amount of time.”

What “Anytime” Does

Anytime is an adverb. It modifies a verb and answers the question “when?” It means “whenever” or “at whatever time.”

Examples:

• Call me anytime.
• You can leave anytime you want.
• She shows up anytime she feels like it.
• Anytime works for me.

In each of these, anytime is doing the job of an adverb — telling you when something happens. You could swap in “whenever” and the sentence would still make sense.

Call me whenever. ✓
She shows up whenever she feels like it. ✓

That substitution test is the most useful tool here: if “whenever” fits, write anytime as one word.

What “Any Time” Does

Any time (two words) is a noun phrase. It refers to an amount or portion of time.

Examples:

• Do you have any time to help me?
• I don’t have any time left.
• She barely spends any time outside.

Here, “time” is the noun and “any” is a determiner modifying it — the same way you’d write “any money,” “any space,” or “any room.”

Any time also always follows the preposition at:

• Come over at any time.
• At any time, the situation could change.
• You’re welcome at any time.

This is the one place where the two-word form is clearly required. You would never write “at anytime” — at needs a noun phrase after it, not an adverb.

The “At” Rule

If the word at comes before it — written or implied — use two words.

Correct	Incorrect
at any time	at anytime
Come at any time	Come at anytime

This rule alone catches most errors.

Where People Get Confused

The confusion usually happens in sentences where at is dropped but still implied:

• “Come over anytime.” → Here at is implied but not written, and the word functions as an adverb. One word is correct.
• “Come over at any time.” → Here at is written. Two words are correct.

Both sentences mean the same thing. Both are correct. Only the structure changes.

Another common mistake is writing any time when the adverb form is needed:

• ❌ “You can call me any time you want.”
• ✓ “You can call me anytime you want.”

In the second example, anytime introduces a clause (“you want”), functioning as a conjunction-like adverb — similar to “whenever.” The one-word form fits here.

A Simple Way to Choose

Ask two questions:

1. Does at appear before it? → Use any time (two words).
2. Can you replace it with “whenever”? → Use anytime (one word).
3. Are you talking about an amount of time? → Use any time (two words).

If none of these apply and you’re still unsure, anytime (one word) is the more common choice in modern American English for general use.

American vs. British English

The one-word anytime is used widely in American English and has been standard there for decades. British English traditionally favors the two-word form any time in most contexts, though anytime appears in British writing with increasing frequency.

If you’re writing for a British audience or in a formal British style, any time is the safer choice in most sentences.

Formal Writing

In formal or academic writing, some style guides prefer any time (two words) as the more conservative form — even in places where anytime would be grammatically correct. If you’re writing a legal document, academic paper, or formal report, any time keeps you on safe ground.

For everyday writing, email, and general content, anytime (one word) is widely accepted.

Quick Reference

Situation	Form	Example
Means “whenever”	anytime	Call me anytime.
After the preposition at	any time	Come at any time.
Refers to an amount of time	any time	I don’t have any time.
Introduces a clause like “whenever”	anytime	Anytime you’re ready, go ahead.
Formal or British writing	any time	Please contact us at any time.

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The distinction is small but real. In most sentences you write, anytime (one word) will be the natural choice. Save any time for sentences with at, sentences where “time” is the noun you’re quantifying, and formal contexts where the traditional two-word form is preferred.

Read more:

• Immigrate vs. Emigrate: What’s the Difference?
• Awhile vs. A While: What’s the Difference?
• Intra vs Inter: What’s the Difference?
• Learned or Learnt: Which One Should You Use?