All Right vs. Alright | Difference & Example Sentences
All right and alright are two spellings of the same term, an adjective, adverb, or interjection meaning the same thing as “okay.”
- All right (with a space) is the form usually used in published writing.
- Alright is a very common spelling in everyday communication, but it’s not always considered correct by dictionaries (though it is included in Merriam-Webster and the OED). It’s uncommon in published writing.
Table of contents
Uses of all right and alright
Both spellings of all right/alright are very common in day-to-day communication. They can both function as several different parts of speech with slight variations in meaning.
Part of speech | Function | Example |
---|---|---|
Adjective | Used to indicate agreement, physical safety or health, and general (mild) approval. | I’d like to go to the mall after school if that’s all right/alright with you.
Are you all right/alright? His artwork is all right/alright, but it’s not my favorite. |
Adverb | Used to mean “certainly” or “adequately” | That’s a tick bite all right/alright! You’d better get it checked out at the doctor.
I wasn’t very confident going into the exam, but I think it went all right/alright. |
Interjection | Used to indicate agreement or resignation, or to resume a discussion where it left off | Well, all right/alright, if you insist.
All right/alright, where were we? |
Frequently asked questions
- Is “alright” a word?
-
Yes, alright is a very commonly used word, but it’s considered a mistake by some dictionaries and style guides. The more widely approved form is all right, with a space.
- What’s a synonym of “alright”/“all right”?
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Some synonyms and near synonyms for the various senses of alright/all right are:
- Acceptable
- Adequate
- Agreed
- Certainly
- Decent
- Fine
- Good
- Okay (or OK)
- Satisfactory
Scribbr’s Paraphraser can help you find other synonyms for “alright”/”all right.”
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