One word or two
All right vs. Alright
All right and alright mean the same thing: okay, acceptable or safe. All right is the standard spelling and the safe choice in formal writing. Alright is common in casual writing but many editors still reject it.
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| all right | phrase | acceptable, satisfactory or safe; also used to agree to something |
| alright | adjective | a less formal spelling of all right, with the same meanings |
All right
phrase: acceptable, satisfactory or safe; also used to agree to something
- Are you all right after that fall on the ice?
- The soup tastes all right, but it needs more salt.
Alright
adjective: a less formal spelling of all right, with the same meanings
- Text me when you get home so I know you're alright.
- The new phone works alright, but the battery drains fast.
How to remember the difference
All right is spelled like all wrong: two words. If all wrong is two words, all right is too.
Good to know
AP and Chicago style both call for all right. Merriam-Webster accepts alright as a variant, and it is common in dialogue, texts and song lyrics, but many readers still see it as an error. In school or work writing, choose all right.
Spot the mistake
Dear Ms. Lee, the new start date is
alrightall right with me.Correct: Dear Ms. Lee, the new start date is all right with me.
Everything turned out
allrightall right in the end.Correct: Everything turned out all right in the end.
Check yourself
Pick the word that fits each sentence.
1. In her job application, Ana wrote that weekend shifts were with her.
Answer: all right. This is formal writing, so the standard two-word spelling all right is the safe choice.
2. The one-word spelling is fine in a text to a friend but risky in an essay.
Answer: alright. The blank needs the one-word spelling, alright, which suits casual writing better than formal work.
Strunk wrote about this in 1918: his note on all right in The Elements of Style.