anything
Americanpronoun
noun
adverb
idioms
-
anything goes, any type of conduct, dress, speech, etc., is considered acceptable or valid or is likely to be encountered and tolerated.
That resort is a place where anything goes!
-
anything but, in no degree or respect; not in the least.
The plans were anything but definite.
pronoun
noun
adverb
-
in any way
he wasn't anything like his father
-
by no means; not in the least
she was anything but happy
-
(intensifier; usually euphemistic)
he ran like anything
Etymology
Origin of anything
before 900; Middle English ani thing, eni thing, Old English ǣnig thing. See any, thing 1
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.
Amazing, but there wasn’t anything leftover for me often.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 27, 2026
Zapatero has repeatedly denied doing anything wrong and Pedro Sánchez has pledged his support for his predecessor, who led Spain from 2004-11.
From BBC • May 27, 2026
“I’ve been here for five days, and you guys have not done anything for me.”
From Salon • May 27, 2026
More than anything, I hope your father’s last days are comfortable and free of pain.
From MarketWatch • May 27, 2026
“Let’s stay focused. If you could do anything all the time, what would you do?”
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.
