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Synonyms

anyone

American  
[en-ee-wuhn, -wuhn] / ˈɛn iˌwʌn, -wən /

pronoun

  1. any person at all; anybody.

    Did anyone see the accident?
anyone British  
/ ˈɛnɪˌwʌn, -wən /

pronoun

  1. any person; anybody

  2. (used with a negative or a question) a person of any importance

    is he anyone in this town?

  3. (often preceded by just) any person at random; no matter who

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

Anyone who’s ever played a sport knows that as soon as some players start to cheat, everyone else feels the pressure to play dirty, too.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026

Anyone want to place a bet on whether it’s a girl?

From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 2026

Anyone who knows a farmer has heard stories of the “worst year ever” — but now American farmers are facing their most serious crisis since the 1980s.

From MarketWatch • May 4, 2026

"Anyone with even the most rudimentary knowledge of leasehold knows that outright and immediate abolition of circa five million English and Welsh leases is almost certainly impossible."

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026

Anyone who reads them with attention discovers that even the most nonsensical take place in a world which is essentially rational and matter-of-fact.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

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.