any couple

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "any couple" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when referring to any pair of people in a relationship or partnership. Example: "Any couple can benefit from open communication." Alternative expressions include "any pair" and "any duo."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Social Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"Like any couple".

The New Yorker

Has any couple ever won?

The New Yorker

"It would be a problem for any couple".

The New York Times

It refuses to marry any couple that declines premarital counseling.

The New York Times

Of course, like any couple, Jesus and I had our challenges.

The New Yorker

As with any couple in trouble, economic difficulty has added to the strain.

The New York Times - Magazine

"These things happen in the life of any couple," she wrote.

The New York Times

"There was never any couple in love like us," he said.

The New York Times

But the wedding beat has taught me that it's unwise to overly idolize any couple.

The New York Times

Would any couple be as radically noncommunicative as Pearl and Holland?

The New Yorker

Dirty fighting is a lose-lose proposition for pretty much any couple.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Treat the phrase as a singular subject in formal writing; for example, write 'any couple has' rather than 'any couple have' unless the context specifically demands a plural interpretation of the unit.

Common error

Do not use "any couple" when referring to a specific, previously mentioned pair. Use 'the couple' or 'this couple' instead. "any couple" is for hypothetical or non-specific generalizations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "any couple" functions as a singular noun phrase where 'any' acts as a determiner (specifically a quantifier) and 'couple' is the head noun. According to Ludwig, it is frequently used to introduce a distributive generalization where the statement applies to any single member of the set of all couples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

20%

Social Media

15%

Less common in

Legal & Formal

5%

Academic

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "any couple" is a highly versatile and grammatically correct English expression. Ludwig AI shows that it is used across a wide spectrum of sources, from emotional storytelling in The New Yorker to technical descriptions of fuel and oxidizers in ScienceDirect. Its primary role is to serve as a distributive quantifier, making statements that apply to any pair within a category. Whether you are discussing relationship advice, social rights, or scientific pairings, "any couple" is the standard way to denote that the following information is universally applicable to any two related entities. It remains one of the most reliable phrases for making generalizations in both academic and casual writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

any pair

More neutral and frequently used in mathematical or scientific contexts rather than romantic ones

every couple

Shifts the focus from any single arbitrary choice to a collective generalization of all couples

all couples

Uses the plural form to make a broad universal statement

any duo

Carries a slightly more informal or performance-oriented connotation

each couple

Emphasizes the individuality of the pairs within a group

any married couple

Adds a specific legal or social status to the relationship

any partnership

Broader in scope, encompassing business and legal relationships as well as romantic ones

any two people

The most literal and basic description, removing the implication of a specific relationship type

either partner

Focuses on the individuals making up the couple rather than the unit itself

whatever couple

More informal and emphasizes the lack of restriction on which couple is chosen

FAQs

How to use any couple in a sentence?

You can use it to generalize, such as in the sentence: "Open communication is vital for "any couple" looking to build a long-term relationship."

What can I say instead of any couple?

Depending on your context, you can use alternatives like "any pair", "every couple", or "all couples".

Is any couple singular or plural?

In standard English, "any couple" is treated as a singular noun phrase. You would say 'any couple is' rather than 'any couple are'.

What is the difference between any couple and any pair?

While "any pair" is often used for inanimate objects or technical data, "any couple" almost always refers to two people in a relationship.