anyone
Americanpronoun
pronoun
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any person; anybody
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(used with a negative or a question) a person of any importance
is he anyone in this town?
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(often preceded by just) any person at random; no matter who
Spelling
Anyone as a pronoun meaning “anybody” or “any person at all” is written as one word: Does anyone have the correct time? The two-word phrase any one means “any single member of a group of persons or things” and is often followed by of: Can any one of the members type? Any one of these books is exciting reading. Anyone is somewhat more formal than anybody.
Usage
See each, they ( def. ).
Etymology
Origin of anyone
First recorded in 1350–1400, anyone is from Middle English ani on. See any, one
Compare meaning
How does anyone compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The vote-counting process that governs California elections is transparent to anyone who wants to understand it.
From Slate • Jun. 9, 2026
It’s tough to get satellites into orbit for anyone other than SpaceX, the world’s dominant launch services provider.
From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026
Because the generative-AI smarts will just be there, through a “Hey Siri” or a swipe down from the top, Siri AI will open the door for anyone who hasn’t bothered to download ChatGPT or Claude.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
Livesey said he had "no recollection" of putting a woman on the phone to speak to Sullivan as Florence described and that it had not been part of his role to introduce anyone to him.
From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026
“What I’m saying is, anyone can take love,” Gingersnipes continued.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
