today

today — adverb

1. on or during the present day — the day that is happening now, between yesterday

1.adverbA1
Definition

on or during the present day — the day that is happening now, between yesterday and tomorrow.

Example

Sade has a job interview at two o'clock and needs to prepare today.

position at end of clause

Today the bus arrived twenty minutes late, so Karim walked the rest of the way.

position at beginning of clause for emphasis

Common collocations
  • earlier today
  • later today
  • all day today
Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

today at end of clause

today at beginning of clause for emphasis

Usage Note

Unlike 'yesterday' and 'tomorrow,' 'today' does not take the preposition 'on.' 'On today' is always incorrect in standard English.

Common Mistakes

I will finish the report on today.
I will finish the report today.
'today' does not need the preposition 'on.'

2. in the current era, especially when comparing the way things are now with how th

2.adverbB1
Definition

in the current era, especially when comparing the way things are now with how they were in earlier times.

Example

People today rely on their phones for banking, shopping, and keeping in touch.

noun + today as post-modifier

Sivan argues that food today contains far more sugar than it did twenty years ago.

Common collocations
  • people today
  • students today
  • society today
  • the world today
Synonyms
  • nowadays

    more informal; strongly suggests a contrast with the past

  • currently

    slightly more formal; emphasises an ongoing but possibly temporary situation

  • these days

    informal and conversational; often implies a change from how things used to be

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

noun + today as post-modifier

today at beginning of sentence

Usage Note

To avoid ambiguity between the 'on this day' sense and the 'modern times' sense, pay attention to the context. When paired with a past reference ('than twenty years ago'), the 'modern times' sense is intended.

Common Mistakes

Today's children are very different.' (when meaning 'nowadays in general')
Children today are very different.
For the 'modern times' sense, 'today' usually follows the noun rather than using the possessive form 'today's.'

today — adjective

today — noun

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/2

'Today' is the most general and natural word for referring to the present time. 'Nowadays' is more informal and strongly implies a contrast with the past ('People nowadays work longer hours than their parents did'). 'These days' is also informal and conversational ('Kids these days learn to use tablets before they can talk'). 'Currently' is more formal and suggests the situation is ongoing but may change ('The company is currently hiring for three positions'). 'At present' is the most formal option and is best suited for written or official contexts ('At present, the school has no plans to introduce a uniform policy'). In everyday conversation, 'today' and 'these days' are the most frequent choices; in academic or business writing, 'currently' or 'at present' are preferred.

nowadays ↗currently ↗these days ↗at present

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • earlier today
  • later today
  • right now today
  • just today

Phrases

  • here today, gone tomorrow
  • today's special

Prepositions

  • by today
  • until today
  • since today

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

'Today' comes from Old English 'tō dæġe,' which literally meant 'on this day.' It was formed from the preposition 'tō' (at, on) and 'dæġ' (day) in its dative case. The phrase was written as two separate words ('to day') until the 1500s, when it gradually fused into a single word 'today.' The broader sense of 'the present era' developed in the 1500s as well.