day-to-day

1 of 2

adjective

Synonyms of day-to-daynext
1
: taking place, made, or done in the course of days
in charge of day-to-day operations
also : everyday
day-to-day life
2
: providing for a day at a time with little thought for the future
an aimless day-to-day existence
day-to-day adverb
or day to day
struggling day-to-day [=every day] with depression
living day to day [=one day at a time]
… it's impossible to live with devastation day to day and not look on all the concern over one still-healthy individual as a vulgar spectacle. Robert Massa

day-to-day

2 of 2

noun

plural day-to-days
: a usual routine that occurs each day
… a feeling of hope and adventure that many of us lack in our day-to-day.Nathan Mattise
But the woman is fearless, living life in a perpetual state of curiosity despite her repetitive day-to-day.Alex Suskind

Synonyms of day-to-day

Examples of day-to-day in a Sentence

Adjective the day-to-day routine of commuting to work
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
Because devices are always within reach, kids' screen time habits are affecting their sleep and mood, which may impact their schoolwork and day-to-day behavior. Kara Nesvig, Parents, 28 June 2026 And for far too many Americans, those contradictions have become their day-to-day life. ABC News, 28 June 2026
Noun
Once it’s built, the day-to-day of how to raise chickens for eggs is lighter than people expect. Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 30 June 2026 Many of today's classrooms have moved away from keeping a live pet day-to-day, and there are many good reasons, such as allergy concerns and a lack of care when school's not in session. Sarah Scott, Parents, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for day-to-day

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1862, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1965, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of day-to-day was in 1862

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Day-to-day.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/day-to-day. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

day-to-day

adjective
ˈdāt-ə-ˌdā
1
: taking place, made, or done in the course of days
day-to-day problems
2
: providing for a day at a time with little thought of the future
a day-to-day existence
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