Have you ever stopped while writing and wondered whether Thursdays or Thursday’s is the correct form? You’re not alone. This small apostrophe can completely change the meaning and grammatical function of the word. Although Thursdays and Thursday’s look nearly identical, they are not interchangeable.
Thursdays is the plural form of Thursday and refers to more than one Thursday or to Thursdays in general. For example, you might say, “I work from home on Thursdays.” In contrast, Thursday’s is usually the possessive form of Thursday, showing that something belongs to or is associated with Thursday. For example, “Thursday’s meeting starts at noon.” It can also be a contraction of “Thursday is” or “Thursday has,” depending on the sentence.
Understanding the difference between Thursday plural, Thursday possessive, and Thursday contraction makes this grammar rule much easier. In this guide, we’ll explain Thursdays vs Thursday’s, show you clear examples, and cover the related form Thursdays’, which is the plural possessive. By the end, you’ll know exactly when to use each form.
Quick Answer: Thursdays or Thursday’s?
The right form depends on what you mean.
| Form | Meaning | Example |
| Thursday | One Thursday | I’ll see you Thursday. |
| Thursdays | More than one Thursday | I work on Thursdays. |
| Thursday’s | Something associated with one Thursday | Thursday’s meeting was canceled. |
| Thursday’s | Thursday is / Thursday has | Thursday’s going to be busy. |
| Thursdays’ | Something associated with multiple Thursdays | The Thursdays’ schedules were different. |
The simplest rule is:
Use “Thursdays” for the plural. Use “Thursday’s” for possession or a contraction.
There’s one common point worth remembering:
❌ We meet every Thursdays.
✅ We meet every Thursday.
But you can say:
✅ We meet on Thursdays.
Both sentences describe a regular weekly event, but the grammar is different.
What Does Thursdays Mean?
Thursdays is simply the plural form of Thursday. It refers to more than one Thursday or to Thursday as a recurring day of the week.
For example:
Thursdays are usually busy at the restaurant.
The sentence refers to Thursdays in general.
You could also say:
We have team meetings on Thursdays.
This means the meetings take place repeatedly on Thursdays.
You’ll commonly see Thursdays after expressions such as:
- on Thursdays
- most Thursdays
- some Thursdays
- many Thursdays
- several Thursdays
For example:
She visits her parents on Thursdays.
There’s no apostrophe because Thursdays is simply a plural noun.
That gives us a useful general rule:
Apostrophes are not normally used to make ordinary nouns plural.
So:
- Thursday → Thursdays
- Friday → Fridays
- Saturday → Saturdays
- Sunday → Sundays
Not:
- Thursday’s ❌
- Friday’s ❌
- Saturday’s ❌
- Sunday’s ❌
when you simply mean more than one day.
What Does Thursday’s Mean?
Thursday’s has an apostrophe because it performs a different grammatical job.
Most often, it is the possessive form of Thursday. It can show that something belongs to, comes from, or is associated with a particular Thursday.
For example:
Thursday’s meeting starts at noon.
The meeting is associated with that Thursday.
Other common examples include:
- Thursday’s schedule
- Thursday’s deadline
- Thursday’s appointment
- Thursday’s announcement
- Thursday’s event
- Thursday’s class
- Thursday’s forecast
For example:
Thursday’s schedule is packed.
The apostrophe shows the relationship between Thursday and schedule.
Thursday’s as a Contraction
There’s another important use of Thursday’s. It can be a contraction of Thursday is or Thursday has.
For example:
Thursday’s going to be hectic.
Expand the contraction:
Thursday is going to be hectic.
In another sentence:
Thursday’s been exhausting.
Here, Thursday’s means:
Thursday has been exhausting.
Context normally makes the intended meaning clear.
So don’t automatically assume that every Thursday’s is possessive.
Compare:
Thursday’s meeting was canceled.
Here, Thursday’s is possessive.
Thursday’s going to be difficult.
Here, Thursday’s means Thursday is.
The History of Thursday
The word Thursday has a long linguistic history. Its name comes from the Germanic tradition of naming days after gods and other figures.
The English word developed from the Old English Þūnresdæg, commonly understood as “Thor’s day.” Thor is the Norse god associated with thunder.
Other Germanic languages have related day names based on the same tradition.
Over time, the spelling changed and eventually developed into the modern English Thursday.
Today, Thursday behaves like a regular English noun, so it can appear in several forms:
- Thursday — singular
- Thursdays — plural
- Thursday’s — singular possessive
- Thursdays’ — plural possessive
It can also appear in contractions:
- Thursday’s = Thursday is
- Thursday’s = Thursday has
The history is interesting, but it doesn’t change the modern grammar rules.
British English vs. American English
There is no major British-American spelling difference between Thursdays and Thursday’s.
Both varieties of English use:
- Thursday
- Thursdays
- Thursday’s
- Thursdays’
according to the same basic grammatical rules.
This is different from spelling differences such as:
- color / colour
- center / centre
- favorite / favourite
The distinction between Thursdays and Thursday’s is grammatical rather than regional.
British English
A British writer might say:
The shop is closed on Thursdays.
Or:
Thursday’s meeting has been postponed.
Both forms are standard.
American English
An American writer might write:
The gym is busiest on Thursdays.
Or:
Thursday’s meeting starts at 9 a.m.
Again, the same grammatical distinction applies.
The Main Point
Whether you’re writing for readers in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, or elsewhere, the basic rule stays the same:
Thursdays = plural
Thursday’s = possessive or contraction
So Thursday’s is not an American version of Thursdays, and Thursdays is not a British version of Thursday’s. They have different grammatical functions.
When Should You Use Thursdays?
Use Thursdays when you’re talking about more than one Thursday.
For recurring events, it commonly appears after on:
I work on Thursdays.
The class meets on Thursdays.
Restaurants are usually quieter on Thursdays.
In each example, Thursdays refers to multiple Thursdays.
When Should You Use Thursday’s?
Use Thursday’s when something is associated with one particular Thursday.
For example:
Thursday’s schedule is packed.
Thursday’s meeting was productive.
Thursday’s forecast predicts rain.
The apostrophe shows the connection between the day and the noun that follows it.
You can also use Thursday’s as a contraction:
Thursday’s going to be long.
This means:
Thursday is going to be long.
Or:
Thursday’s been unusually quiet.
This means:
Thursday has been unusually quiet.
Contractions are common in conversation and informal writing. In more formal writing, you may choose to write the full form instead.
Every Thursday or Every Thursdays?
This is one of the most common mistakes with days of the week.
The standard expression is:
✅ every Thursday
Not:
❌ every Thursdays
The reason is simple: every is normally followed by a singular countable noun when referring to individual members of a group.
So we say:
- every Thursday
- every Friday
- every week
- every month
- every year
But we can also say:
- on Thursdays
- on Fridays
- most Thursdays
- some Thursdays
Every Thursday
We meet every Thursday.
This means the meeting takes place each Thursday.
On Thursdays
We meet on Thursdays.
This also describes a recurring schedule.
The meaning is similar, but the sentence structure is different.
| Phrase | Why it works |
| every Thursday | Every normally takes a singular noun |
| on Thursdays | On can introduce recurring days |
| most Thursdays | Most can be followed by a plural noun |
| some Thursdays | Some can be followed by a plural noun |
| each Thursday | Each takes a singular noun |
A useful shortcut is:
Every → every Thursday
On → on Thursdays
This simple pattern will help you avoid most mistakes.
The Four Main Forms of Thursday
It helps to look at all four forms together.
1. Thursday — Singular
Use Thursday when referring to one day.
I’ll call you Thursday.
You can also say:
I’ll call you on Thursday.
Both are standard.
2. Thursdays — Plural
Use Thursdays when referring to multiple Thursdays.
I work late on Thursdays.
There is no apostrophe because the word is simply plural.
3. Thursday’s — Singular Possessive
Use Thursday’s when something is associated with one Thursday.
Thursday’s schedule has changed.
The apostrophe shows possession or association.
4. Thursday’s — Contraction
Use Thursday’s when it means Thursday is or Thursday has.
Thursday’s going to be busy.
This means:
Thursday is going to be busy.
You could also say:
Thursday’s been exhausting.
This means:
Thursday has been exhausting.
5. Thursdays’ — Plural Possessive
Thursdays’ is the plural possessive form. It can be used when something is associated with multiple Thursdays.
For example:
The Thursdays’ schedules were different.
Although this is grammatically possible, it sounds awkward in many contexts. A clearer alternative would be:
The schedules for the Thursdays were different.
Or:
The schedules for Thursday meetings were different.
This is a good example of an important writing principle: a sentence can be grammatically correct and still benefit from a clearer structure.
Thursday’s Meeting: A Simple Example
The phrase Thursday’s meeting is a useful way to understand the singular possessive.
Consider:
Thursday’s meeting starts at 10 a.m.
Here, the meeting is associated with a particular Thursday.
Now compare it with:
Thursday meetings are usually shorter.
This refers to meetings that regularly take place on Thursdays.
You can technically use:
The Thursdays’ meetings were all recorded.
But it sounds unnatural. A better version would usually be:
The meetings held on Thursdays were all recorded.
The clearer sentence avoids an unnecessary possessive construction.
Thursdays or Thursday’s in Everyday Writing
The distinction becomes easier when you see these forms in everyday contexts.
Emails
We hold team meetings on Thursdays.
Here, Thursdays is plural because the meetings happen regularly.
Thursday’s meeting has been moved to 3 p.m.
Here, Thursday’s identifies the meeting connected with one Thursday.
You might also write:
Are you available every Thursday?
Because every takes the singular form, Thursday is correct.
In a casual email, you could also say:
Thursday’s going to be difficult for me.
Here, Thursday’s means Thursday is.
News and Reports
The same distinction appears in more formal writing:
The committee meets on Thursdays.
This describes a regular schedule.
Thursday’s announcement surprised investors.
This refers to an announcement associated with a particular Thursday.
Social Media and Casual Writing
Contractions are especially common in casual writing:
Thursday’s going to be a long one!
This means:
Thursday is going to be a long one!
By contrast:
Thursdays are for coffee and deadlines.
Here, Thursdays is simply the plural form.
Formal Writing
Formal writing may avoid contractions.
Instead of:
Thursday’s going to be busy.
a formal version might be:
Thursday is expected to be busy.
However, possessive forms are completely normal in formal writing:
Thursday’s meeting will begin at 2 p.m.
The apostrophe itself isn’t informal. The difference comes from whether Thursday’s is being used as a possessive or as a contraction.
Thursday Boots and Thursday’s Child
Some familiar expressions can make the use of Thursday a little confusing because the word also appears in names and titles.
Thursday Boots
Thursday Boot Company is a brand name, and Thursday Boots is commonly used when referring to its products.
In this context, Thursday is part of a proper name. It is not being used as the plural form of the day.
That’s why context matters when you see Thursday in a name or title.
Thursday’s Child
Thursday’s Child is connected with the traditional English nursery rhyme Monday’s Child, which assigns characteristics to children according to the day of their birth.
In Thursday’s Child, the possessive form connects the child with Thursday.
So:
Thursday’s Child
is grammatically different from:
Thursdays
The apostrophe has a specific function.
The phrase has also been used as the title of various creative works, so capitalization and context may vary.
Common Mistakes With Thursdays and Thursday’s
Mistake 1: Using an Apostrophe to Make Thursdays Plural
Incorrect:
❌ Thursday’s are my busiest days.
Correct:
✅ Thursdays are my busiest days.
The apostrophe is unnecessary because Thursdays is simply plural.
Mistake 2: Writing Every Thursdays
Incorrect:
❌ We have class every Thursdays.
Correct:
✅ We have class every Thursday.
Because every normally takes a singular noun, Thursday is correct.
Mistake 3: Confusing Plural and Possessive Forms
Compare:
Thursdays are busy.
This refers to multiple Thursdays.
Now compare:
Thursday’s schedule is busy.
This refers to the schedule associated with one Thursday.
The apostrophe changes the grammatical relationship.
Mistake 4: Missing a Contraction
Consider:
Thursday’s going to be difficult.
You can replace Thursday’s with Thursday is:
Thursday is going to be difficult.
Because the sentence still makes sense, Thursday’s is a contraction.
Mistake 5: Confusing Thursday’s and Thursdays’
These two forms have different meanings.
Thursday’s = possessive form of one Thursday
Thursday’s meeting
Thursdays’ = possessive form of multiple Thursdays
The Thursdays’ schedules
The second form is much less common and may sound awkward, so rewriting the sentence is often the better choice.
Thursdays vs. Thursday’s: Comparison
| Form | Grammatical function | Meaning | Example |
| Thursday | Singular noun | One day | I work Thursday. |
| Thursdays | Plural noun | Multiple days | I work on Thursdays. |
| Thursday’s | Singular possessive | Associated with one Thursday | Thursday’s meeting was canceled. |
| Thursday’s | Contraction | Thursday is / has | Thursday’s going to be busy. |
| Thursdays’ | Plural possessive | Associated with multiple Thursdays | The Thursdays’ schedules varied. |
A quick way to visualize the difference is:
Thursday → one
Thursdays → more than one
Thursday’s → one + possession/contraction
Thursdays’ → more than one + possession
What About Google Trends and Search Usage?
People often search for phrases such as Thursdays or Thursday’s because they’re unsure which form is correct. Search data can show what people are looking for, but it doesn’t determine grammatical correctness.
Search engines may also handle punctuation differently from one another. A search for Thursday’s may produce results that overlap with a search for Thursdays, depending on how the query is interpreted.
That means search volume alone cannot tell you which spelling is grammatically correct.
What Usage Data Can Show
Search and corpus data can still be useful for understanding:
- how frequently a form appears
- which phrases commonly use it
- what wording people tend to search
- regional patterns
- differences between formal and informal usage
For example:
on Thursdays
and:
Thursday’s meeting
may both be common, but they serve different grammatical purposes.
What Google Trends Cannot Prove
Google Trends measures search interest, not grammar.
A misspelling can receive a lot of searches because people are trying to find out whether it is correct.
For that reason, usage statistics are best treated as supporting information rather than proof of grammatical correctness.
An Easy Way to Remember the Difference
If you’re unsure which form to use, focus on the job the word is doing.
No Apostrophe = Plural
Use:
Thursdays
when you mean more than one Thursday.
I work on Thursdays.
Apostrophe + S = Possession or Contraction
Use:
Thursday’s meeting
when something is associated with one Thursday.
Or:
Thursday’s going to be busy.
when you mean Thursday is going to be busy.
Every + Singular
Use:
every Thursday
not:
❌ every Thursdays
This simple pattern covers most everyday situations.
Conclusion
The difference between Thursdays or Thursday’s becomes simple once you identify the grammatical purpose of the word. Thursdays is the plural form and does not need an apostrophe. Thursday’s can indicate possession or function as a contraction of Thursday is or Thursday has. The form Thursdays’ is the plural possessive and is used when something is associated with multiple Thursdays.Remember the basic rule: Thursdays = plural, Thursday’s = singular possessive or contraction, and Thursdays’ = plural possessive. Checking whether you are showing plurality, possession, or contraction will help you choose the correct form every time.
FAQs
Is Thursdays or Thursday’s correct?
Both can be correct, but they have different meanings. Thursdays is the plural form, while Thursday’s is usually possessive or a contraction.
Is “Thursdays” plural?
Yes. Thursdays is the plural form of Thursday.
Does Thursday’s need an apostrophe?
Yes, when Thursday’s is being used as a possessive or as a contraction.
Is “Thursday’s” possessive?
Yes, it can be possessive. For example, “Thursday’s meeting” means the meeting associated with Thursday.
Can Thursday’s mean “Thursday is”?
Yes. Thursday’s can be a contraction of Thursday is.
Can Thursday’s mean “Thursday has”?
Yes. In some contexts, Thursday’s can mean Thursday has, such as “Thursday’s been difficult.”
What is the plural possessive of Thursday?
The plural possessive is Thursdays’. It refers to something associated with multiple Thursdays.
Should I write “on Thursdays” or “on Thursday’s”?
Write on Thursdays when you mean that something happens regularly on multiple Thursdays. The apostrophe is incorrect in this construction.
Is “every Thursdays” correct?
No. Use every Thursday, because every is followed by a singular noun.
Is “Thursdays” correct without an apostrophe?
Yes. When you are simply making Thursday plural, write Thursdays without an apostrophe.
