English Reference
Noun

nowadays

n. time
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford US /ˈnaʊəˌdeɪz/ UK /nˈaʊədˌeɪz/ nowa·days

n.at the present time, especially when you are comparing it to the past. You use it to talk about how things are different now.

n.at the present time or in the current era, typically used to contrast current circumstances with those of a previous period.


SIMPLE

Nowadays, most people use their phones to pay for things.

CONTEXTUAL

Nowadays, it is much easier to work from home than it was ten years ago.

COMPLEX

While traditional manufacturing once dominated the local economy, most residents nowadays find employment in the burgeoning technology and service sectors.

Usage

Typically functions as a sentence adverb, appearing at the beginning or end of a clause to provide temporal context.

Pitfall
In nowadays, people travel more.Nowadays, people travel more.

Nowadays is an adverb, not a noun; it should not be preceded by a preposition like 'in'.

I think you see far more working-class actors in TV and film nowadays than you did back in the 80s, which is good.

The Guardian· 27 Aug 2026

From now + adays.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Common
Updated