play emily brewster and one and the same text graphic

'One in the same' or 'One and the same'?

Is it all the same anyway?


Is it 'one in the same' or 'one and the same'? Senior Editor Emily Brewster explains.

Transcript

Sometimes a word that sounds like the right word and feels like the right word isn't actually the right word, it's an eggcorn. The acrobat and the farmer who are the same person aren't "one in the same," they're "one and the same." You don't have to choose between being an acrobat and a farmer. You can be one and the same.

Up next

play emily brewster and one and the same text graphic
'One in the same' or 'One and the same'?

 

Is it all the same anyway?

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 who vs whom
Who vs. Whom

 

Good news for those who feel stuffy saying 'whom.'

play how to use a dictionary
How to Use a Dictionary

 

The best way to find information in the dictionary

play video its vs its
Its vs. It's

 

Some practical guidance, and interesting history, about a common mistake.

play is none singular or plural video
Is 'None' Singular or Plural?

 

Or both? Or neither?

play woman and dog illustration
'Nip it in the butt' or 'Nip it in the bud'?

 

We're gonna stop you right there