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.
“I’d almost pay anything to get my eyesight back.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026
“Basically, we’re not seeing anything that indicates that there’s a problem with air quality and would result in exposure at the facility at this time.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026
When the fight ended, "there was no longer anything to distract me," Daria says.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
My advice is simple: Slow down, diversify, independently verify who is managing the money, and be skeptical of anything promising unusually high or consistent returns.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026
He’s fifteen; it shouldn’t be his last anything.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
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.
