As the legendary rock band Journey tells us: “Any way you want it / That’s the way you need it.” Journey wasn’t just delivering their first big hit of the ’80s with these lyrics — they were also (unintentionally) giving us a grammar lesson about the commonly confused homonyms “any way” and “anyway.” Only one of these words is suitable for the title of the rock anthem “Any Way You Want It.”
First, let’s look at “any way,” the term used in the song you might have heard at a karaoke bar or in the background of your favorite movie or TV show. “Any way” means “in any matter” or “by any means.” In this case, “any” is an adverb meaning “at all; in some degree (used for emphasis),” and “way” is a noun meaning “a method, style, or manner of doing something.” Consider the song lyrics — they’re all about flexibility and freedom. In another context, you might say, “I wanted to help in any way I could,” suggesting that you would help however possible.
Its counterpart, “anyway,” is used quite differently. “Anyway” is an adverb that most often means “regardless” or “in any case,” as in, “I’m not feeling very social, but I’ll go to the party anyway.” In a casual sense, it can help us change topics as a transition word or bridge that shifts the focus to something else: “Anyway, let’s talk about something more upbeat.” Keeping this in mind, a swap of Journey’s lyrics to include “anyway” instead of “any way” wouldn’t make sense at all.
Now, you might be thinking: “What about ‘anyways‘?” This word is actually an informal substitute for “anyway.” According to Merriam-Webster, it means the same thing as “anyway” but should be reserved for casual conversation and not formal writing. Adding to the confusion, in British English, “anyways” is used in formal situations, so it’s not uncommon to mix this up. The next time you’re typing up an email or shouting out song lyrics, remember that these homonyms (and their companion, “anyways”) might sound the same, but they produce different meanings, any way you slice it.
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