A group chat message pops up: “Everybodies coming to the party this weekend, right?” The message gets sent, read, and replied to without anyone batting an eye, the word slipping past unnoticed the way so many small typing habits do in casual conversation. But pause on that word for a second, and something genuinely doesn’t add up grammatically — “everybodies” isn’t actually a real English word at all, despite how naturally it seems to roll off the fingers when typing quickly.
This mistake sits at an interesting intersection of two separate grammar instincts colliding: the very reasonable urge to pluralize a word that sounds like it should have a plural, and the far more common, entirely valid possessive or contraction form, “everybody’s,” which actually does belong in that sentence.
Understanding why “everybodies” doesn’t exist, while “everybody’s” is not only valid but extremely common, requires digging into a small but important category of English words called indefinite pronouns — words like “everybody,” “everyone,” “somebody,” and “anybody,” which behave in ways that don’t follow the normal rules most nouns do. This guide breaks down exactly why “everybody” can never be pluralized, what “everybody’s” actually means in its two distinct grammatical roles, and how to avoid this surprisingly common mistake for good.
Quick Answer
Everybody’s is the correct form, functioning either as a possessive (“everybody’s opinion matters”) or as a contraction of “everybody is” or “everybody has” (“everybody’s here already”). Everybodies is not a standard English word under any circumstances, since “everybody” is an indefinite pronoun that cannot be pluralized.
According to Merriam-Webster, “everybody” is defined as every person, functioning as a singular indefinite pronoun with no listed plural form. The Cambridge Dictionary confirms the same singular, non-pluralizable usage, treating “everybody” as grammatically equivalent to “everyone.”
A simple way to remember this: everybody’s is always correct when you mean either possession or a contraction. Everybodies should never appear in your writing at all, regardless of context.
Correct Example
- Everybody’s opinion matters in this discussion. (Possessive)
- Everybody’s already arrived at the venue. (Contraction of “everybody has”)
- Everybody’s excited about the upcoming trip. (Contraction of “everybody is”)
Incorrect Example
- Everybodies coming to the party this weekend. (Wrong — “everybodies” is not a real word.)
- I asked everybodies opinion before making the decision. (Wrong — should be “everybody’s.”)
What Does Everybody’s Mean?
Everybody’s is a single word that actually serves two completely different grammatical functions, both extremely common in everyday English, depending entirely on the sentence surrounding it.
Common Meanings
- Possessive Form — showing that something belongs to or is associated with everybody collectively.
- Contraction of “Everybody Is” — describing a current state or condition.
- Contraction of “Everybody Has” — describing a completed action or current possession.
- Informal/Conversational Use — extremely common in spoken and casual written English.
Simple Usage Examples
- Possessive: “Everybody’s feedback will be taken into account before the final decision.”
- Contraction (is): “Everybody’s ready to start the meeting whenever you are.”
- Contraction (has): “Everybody’s already submitted their forms except for two people.”
- Everyday speech: “Everybody’s talking about the new restaurant downtown.”
Why “Everybodies” Isn’t a Real Word
To understand why “everybodies” doesn’t exist, it helps to understand exactly what kind of word “everybody” actually is, and why that category of words resists pluralization entirely.
Everybody Is an Indefinite Pronoun
“Everybody” belongs to a specific grammatical category called indefinite pronouns, which refer to people or things without specifying exactly who or what, in contrast to definite nouns that refer to specific, identifiable people or objects. Other indefinite pronouns in this same family include “everyone,” “somebody,” “anybody,” “nobody,” and “someone.”
Indefinite Pronouns Don’t Pluralize
Unlike regular nouns, which typically form plurals by adding “-s” or “-es” (cat/cats, box/boxes), indefinite pronouns like “everybody” already carry an inherent sense of totality or generality built into their meaning. “Everybody” already means “every person,” collectively and completely, which makes the idea of pluralizing it — essentially saying “every persons” — grammatically redundant and structurally invalid within standard English.
Everybody’s vs. Everybodies: Comparison Table
| Form | Grammatically Valid? | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Everybody’s | Yes | Possessive or contraction | “Everybody’s here.” |
| Everybodies | No | N/A — not a recognized word | N/A |
Related Indefinite Pronouns and Their Possessive Forms
| Indefinite Pronoun | Correct Possessive/Contraction | Incorrect Plural Attempt |
|---|---|---|
| Everybody | Everybody’s | Everybodies (invalid) |
| Everyone | Everyone’s | Everyones (invalid) |
| Somebody | Somebody’s | Somebodies (invalid) |
| Anybody | Anybody’s | Anybodies (invalid) |
| Nobody | Nobody’s | Nobodies (invalid) |
This pattern holds consistently across the entire family of “-body” and “-one” indefinite pronouns, confirming that “everybodies” isn’t an isolated exception, but part of a broader, predictable grammatical rule.
British English vs. American English
Since “everybody’s” is used identically across all major English-speaking regions, and “everybodies” remains equally invalid everywhere, this particular grammar point doesn’t carry a genuine regional divide the way spelling pairs like “colour/color” do. Still, it’s worth confirming how British and American English handle the closely related “everybody vs everyone” choice, since subtle regional preferences do exist there.
Comparison Table
| Feature | American English (US) | British English (UK) |
|---|---|---|
| Correct possessive/contraction | Everybody’s | Everybody’s |
| “Everybodies” validity | Not a word | Not a word |
| Preference: “everybody” vs “everyone” | Both common, “everyone” slightly more frequent in writing | Both common, largely interchangeable |
| Subject-verb agreement rule | Singular verb required | Singular verb required |
| Formal writing preference | “Everyone” often preferred in formal contexts | “Everyone” often preferred in formal contexts |
Why No Real Regional Split Exists Here
Indefinite pronouns like “everybody” follow the same grammatical rules throughout the English-speaking world, with no dialect treating “everybodies” as acceptable or introducing an alternate plural form. Both American and British English treat “everybody” and “everyone” as close synonyms, generally interchangeable in most contexts, with only minor stylistic preferences influencing which one a particular writer or region leans toward more often in formal versus casual writing.
Everybody’s Is vs. Everybody’s Has: Telling the Contractions Apart
Since “everybody’s” can mean either “everybody is” or “everybody has,” context becomes the only reliable way to tell which meaning applies in a given sentence.
When It Means “Everybody Is”
Look for an adjective, present participle, or description of a current state following “everybody’s”: “Everybody’s excited,” “Everybody’s ready,” “Everybody’s here.”
When It Means “Everybody Has”
Look for a past participle or possession-related phrase following “everybody’s”: “Everybody’s finished eating,” “Everybody’s already left,” “Everybody’s got their tickets.”
Quick Test
Try mentally substituting the full phrase “everybody is” or “everybody has” into the sentence and see which one makes logical sense. If “everybody’s excited” becomes “everybody is excited,” that confirms the “is” contraction; if “everybody’s already left” becomes “everybody has already left,” that confirms the “has” contraction.
Everybody’s vs. Everyone’s
Since “everybody” and “everyone” function as near-perfect synonyms, their possessive/contraction forms — “everybody’s” and “everyone’s” — are essentially interchangeable in meaning, differing mainly in tone and slight stylistic preference rather than grammatical function.
Subtle Differences
“Everyone’s” tends to feel marginally more formal or literary in some contexts, while “everybody’s” often carries a slightly warmer, more conversational tone, though this distinction is subtle enough that most native speakers use both interchangeably without any real difference in meaning.
Subject-Verb Agreement With Everybody
Just like other indefinite pronouns, “everybody” is always grammatically singular, even though it conceptually refers to a large group of people, which means it requires a singular verb form.
Correct Singular Agreement
- “Everybody’s invited to the celebration.” (Not “are invited”)
- “Everybody knows the rules by now.” (Not “know”)
Common Mistake to Avoid
Writers sometimes mistakenly pair “everybody” with a plural verb because the word conceptually describes many people, but the grammar rule always treats it as a singular subject.
- Incorrect: “Everybody are welcome to join.”
- Correct: “Everybody is welcome to join.”
Common Mistakes with Everybody’s and Everybodies
Frequent Errors
- Writing “everybodies” as an attempted plural, which is not a valid English word.
- Forgetting the apostrophe in “everybody’s” when using it as a possessive or contraction.
- Pairing “everybody” with a plural verb instead of the required singular form.
- Confusing which meaning — “is” or “has” — the contraction “everybody’s” intends in a given sentence.
Corrected Examples
- Incorrect: “Everybodies excited about the concert tonight.”
- Correct: “Everybody’s excited about the concert tonight.”
- Incorrect: “I need everybodies input before we finalize this.”
- Correct: “I need everybody’s input before we finalize this.”
Everybody’s in Everyday Examples
Emails
“Everybody’s feedback has been incredibly helpful in shaping the final proposal.”
Social Media
“Everybody’s talking about this new show, guess I need to finally watch it.”
News Writing
“According to the survey, everybody’s top concern remains the rising cost of living.”
School Writing
“The essay argues that everybody’s perspective deserves consideration in a healthy debate.”
Business Writing
“Everybody’s schedule has been updated to reflect the new project timeline.”
Why This Keyword Gets Searched
People search “everybodies vs everybody’s” mostly while writing casually and pausing to double-check whether the plural-sounding form they’ve typed is actually correct, especially since “everybodies” feels intuitively like it should follow normal pluralization rules. Students and English learners search it while studying indefinite pronouns and their unusual grammatical behavior. Writers and editors search it while confirming the correct apostrophe placement in “everybody’s” as either a possessive or contraction. A smaller group searches it after noticing “everybodies” used somewhere and wanting to confirm whether it’s actually a legitimate word.
Related Grammar Rules
Similar Indefinite Pronoun Confusions
- Someone’s vs. Someones — the exact same pattern applied to a different indefinite pronoun.
- Anybody’s vs. Anybodies — another identical case within the same word family.
- Nobody’s vs. Nobodies — worth noting that “nobodies” does exist as a rare, informal plural noun meaning “unimportant people,” making it a genuine exception worth a second look.
Helpful Grammar Tips
Whenever you’re tempted to pluralize an indefinite pronoun ending in “-body” or “-one,” pause and remember that these words already express totality or generality on their own, making a plural form both unnecessary and grammatically invalid in standard English.
FAQs
Is “everybodies” a real word?
No, “everybodies” is not a recognized English word; “everybody” cannot be pluralized under standard grammar rules.
Is it “everybody’s” or “everybodies”?
The correct form is always “everybody’s,” whether used as a possessive or as a contraction of “everybody is” or “everybody has.”
Can “everybody” be made plural?
No, “everybody” is an indefinite pronoun that already implies totality, meaning it cannot be grammatically pluralized.
What does “everybody’s” mean as a contraction?
“Everybody’s” can mean either “everybody is” or “everybody has,” depending on the context of the sentence.
Is “everybody” singular or plural?
“Everybody” is grammatically singular and always requires a singular verb, even though it conceptually refers to a group of people.
What’s the difference between “everybody’s” and “everyone’s”?
They are nearly identical in meaning and function as close synonyms, with only a subtle difference in tone — “everyone’s” can feel slightly more formal, while “everybody’s” often feels more conversational.
Are there any indefinite pronouns that can be pluralized?
“Nobody” has a rare informal plural noun form, “nobodies,” meaning unimportant or insignificant people, making it a notable exception within this word family.
Why do people mistakenly write “everybodies”?
The mistake likely stems from applying standard noun pluralization habits to a word that doesn’t follow those rules, since “everybody” behaves differently as an indefinite pronoun rather than a countable noun.
Conclusion
“Everybodies” might feel like a natural, almost inevitable plural the way regular nouns work in English, but “everybody” simply doesn’t play by those rules — as an indefinite pronoun, it already carries a built-in sense of totality that makes pluralizing it both unnecessary and grammatically invalid. “Everybody’s,” on the other hand, does real, frequent work in everyday English, quietly shifting between two different meanings — possession and contraction — depending entirely on the words surrounding it, a flexibility that makes it one of the more versatile little apostrophe-containing words in the language.
Once you recognize that this same pattern holds true across the entire family of indefinite pronouns — “everyone,” “somebody,” “anybody,” and their relatives — the temptation to reach for a nonstandard plural like “everybodies” fades away almost entirely, replaced by a clearer sense of how these particular words are actually built to function. Whether you’re describing something that belongs to the whole group, or simply contracting “everybody is” into a smoother, more natural-sounding sentence, “everybody’s” will almost always be the word doing the work, while “everybodies” remains a word that, however tempting it might feel in the moment, never actually earns its place on the page.
Read More Blogs:
- Each or Every: A Small Word Choice With a Big Difference
- Onto vs Into: The Preposition Mix-Up Everyone Makes
Hi, I am Anne Seaton. I am a writer and educator working with Wordssensei.com to help students learn English easily.
