play alright allright video
Commonly Confused

Alright vs. All Right

Is it all right to use both? Do they mean different things? Which one will make your English teacher smile?


Although the spelling alright has been in use for over 200 years, some critics have insisted alright is all wrong. Others maintain that alright and all right have distinct meanings and serve different purposes. Emily Brewster explains.

Up next

play alright allright video
Alright vs. All Right

 

Is 'alright' all right?

play video how a word gets into the dicionary
How a Word Gets into the Dictionary

 

What our editors are looking for when they enter words in Merriam-Webster.

play video websters video of 1864
Webster's Dictionary of 1864

 

The landmark edition that transformed the way dictionaries are made.

play video affect vs effect
Affect vs. Effect

 

Here's the lowdown on what may be the most confusing pair of words in the English language.

play body parts video
When Body Parts Are Also Verbs

 

Head, shoulders, metaphors, and toes

play further vs farther video
Further vs. Farther

 

They started as same word, but their meanings have drifted apart over time.

play video title words of the year 1066
Words of the Year: 1066

 

English was never the same after the Norman Conquest