Anyways

/ˈɛniweɪz/ adverb

Definition

Anyway; in any case; moving on to a different topic or despite what was just said.

Etymology

A variant or colloquial form of 'anyway,' which combines 'any' and 'way,' with an added '-s.' The '-s' ending appears in other adverbial forms like 'always' and 'towards,' though 'anyways' is often considered informal or nonstandard by prescriptive grammarians despite being widely used in speech.

Kelly Says

Linguists call 'anyways' a 'non-standard variant,' but it's been used in English since the 1600s and appears in Shakespeare! The fact that so many people say 'anyways' despite being told it's 'wrong' shows that language is democratic—usage creates correctness, not the other way around.

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