Anytime vs. Any Time
“Anytime” is commonly an adverb. “Any time” remains two words when it is a noun phrase, as in “at any time” or “Do you have any time?” Cambridge also notes regional variation, including UK use of “any time” where US usage often has “anytime.”
Use “anytime” as an adverb meaning “whenever” or “at an unspecified time.” Use the two-word noun phrase “any time” when “time” functions as a noun, especially after “at” or when referring to an amount of time.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Grammar / meaning | Use | Example pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Adverb meaning whenever / at an unspecified time | anytime | Common especially in US usage: “Call anytime.” |
| Noun phrase after a preposition or determiner | any time | “At any time”; “Do you have any time?” |
| UK style where the open form is preferred more broadly | any time | Regional conventions can favor the two-word form. |
Quick tests
Noun-phrase test
Is “time” functioning as a noun, especially after “at” or with a determiner?
If yes: Use “any time.”
If no: If the expression is functioning adverbially as “whenever,” “anytime” can fit, especially in US usage.
Caveat: Regional variation matters, so house style can legitimately prefer “any time” in contexts where US prose often closes it.
Examples
You can call anytime this afternoon.
Adverbial “anytime” means whenever.
You may leave at any time.
After “at,” “any time” is a noun phrase.
Do you have anytime before lunch?
Better: Do you have any time before lunch?
Here “time” is a noun meaning an available amount, so use two words.
Further guidance
Core difference
Use “anytime” for the adverb meaning “whenever”; use “any time” when “time” is a noun modified by “any.”
Fast Test
If “whenever” works, the adverb “anytime” may fit. If you can identify “time” as a noun, keep “any time” separate.
Usage Boundary
After “at,” write “at any time,” not “at anytime.”
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Anytime — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Learner-dictionary evidence for anytime as an adverb meaning at an unspecified time, with UK any time also documented.
- Anytime vs. Any Time: What’s the Difference? (opens in a new tab)Dictionary.com · Usage evidence distinguishing the adverb anytime from the noun phrase any time, including after at.