somebody

American  

[suhm-bod-ee, -buhd-ee, -buh-dee] / ˈsʌmˌbɒd i, -ˌbʌd i, -bə di /

pronoun

1. some person.

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noun

plural

somebodies

1. a person of some note or importance.

somebody British  

/ ˈsʌmbədɪ /

pronoun

1. some person; someone

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noun

1. a person of greater importance than others

   he seems to be somebody in this town

Etymology

Origin of somebody

Middle English word dating back to 1275–1325; see origin at some, body

Compare meaning

How does somebody compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• someone vs. somebody

Explanation

When you're talking about a person, but not a specific one, use the word somebody. If you cook more than you can eat yourself, you might ask, "Does somebody want this extra macaroni and cheese?" Interestingly, synonyms for somebody include "whoever" and "superstar." In other words, you can use this pronoun to mean any random individual, like when you suggest that somebody is likely to get hurt at a busy intersection near your house. But you can also use it for a very important, well-known, successful, or famous person: "I don't want to get stuck in this small town — I want to be somebody!"

Example Sentences

Somebody is willing to place a $500 million bet in the futures market on the basis of national security.

From Slate • Mar. 31, 2026

“So I’m trying to like, I don’t know. Somebody who works out all the time and has a different type of, I don’t know,” he stammers.

From Salon • Mar. 8, 2026

"Somebody besides me should make a decision on what it is."

From BBC • Mar. 2, 2026

Somebody once said to me and I think it’s true, that I was the best at taking up or taking down pressure in a room.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 21, 2026

Somebody froze his eyeballs because he didn’t blink enough and is blind but is finishing the race anyway.

From "Woodsong" by Gary Paulsen

Related Words

• someone
• whoever