anybody
Americanpronoun
noun
-
anybodies
plural
idioms
pronoun
-
any person; anyone
-
(usually used with a negative or a question) a person of any importance
he isn't anybody in this town
noun
Spelling
The pronoun anybody is always written as one word: Is anybody home? There isn't anybody in the office. The two-word noun phrase any body means “any group” ( Any body of students will include a few dissidents ) or “any physical body” ( The search continued for a week despite the failure to find any body ). If the word a can be substituted for any without seriously affecting the meaning, the two-word noun phrase is called for: a body of students; failure to find a body. If the substitution cannot be made, the spelling is anybody. Anybody is less formal than anyone. See also anyone.
Usage
See each, they ( def. ).
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of anybody
First recorded in 1250–1300, anybody is from Middle English ani bodi. See any, body
Compare meaning
How does anybody 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.
See Examples For:
They hit the ball on the ground more frequently than anybody in MLB.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026
Kelly said "urgent" investment was required and added: "We don't want to see anybody in hospital longer than they should be."
From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026
So I was surprised as anybody when I got a fine this week.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
Another federal law prohibits voter intimidation, with up to a yearlong prison sentence for anybody who intimidates, threatens, or coerces somebody else with the purpose of interfering with another person’s right to vote.
From Salon ● Oct. 8, 2026
“He’s Coal’s buddy. You bring over anybody you want anytime, Coal. Okay?”
From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste
Whether or not we can completely banish drivel and have conversations based solely on reason is anybodies guess.
From The Guardian ● Mar. 25, 2011
With seven teams, each trying to get to the top spot on the podium, it was anybodies day to win at anytime.
From Time Magazine Archive
Well, Mable, Id have bet anybodies money before I went out that none of those shots had lit more than ten feet away.
From "Same old Bill, eh Mable!" by G. William Breck
"Be governed by your conscience, and never ask anybodies leave to be honest."
From The Grammar of English Grammars by Goold Brown
She said she never saw anything like it on anybodies toomstone so I guess itll be all right.
From "Same old Bill, eh Mable!" by G. William Breck
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
