any

American  

[en-ee] / ˈɛn i /

adjective

1. one, a, an, or some; one or more without specification or identification.

   If you have any witnesses, produce them. Pick out any six you like.

2. whatever or whichever it may be.

   cheap at any price.

3. in whatever quantity or number, great or small; some.

   Do you have any butter?

4. every; all.

   Any schoolboy would know that. Read any books you find on the subject.

5. (following a negative) at all.

   She can't endure any criticism.

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pronoun

1. an unspecified person or persons; anybody; anyone.

   He does better than any before him.

2. a single one or ones; an unspecified thing or things; a quantity or number.

   We don't have any left.

adverb

1. in whatever degree; to some extent; at all.

   Do you feel any better?

idioms

1. any which way, in any manner whatever; indifferently or carelessly.

   Doing your work any which way is just not good enough.

any British  

/ ˈɛnɪ /

determiner

1. 1. one, some, or several, as specified, no matter how much or many, what kind or quality, etc

      any cheese in the cupboard is yours

      you may take any clothes you like

   2. ( as pronoun; functioning as sing or plural )

      take any you like

2. (usually used with a negative)

   1. even the smallest amount or even one

      I can't stand any noise

   2. ( as pronoun; functioning as sing or plural )

      don't give her any

3. whatever or whichever; no matter what or which

   any dictionary will do

   any time of day

4. an indefinite or unlimited amount or number (esp in the phrases any amount or number )

   any number of friends

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adverb

1. (usually used with a negative)

   1. (foll by a comparative adjective) to even the smallest extent

      it isn't any worse now

   2. not_standard at all

      he doesn't care any

any More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing any

• at any rate
• by any means
• go to any length
• in any case
• under any (no) circumstances

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Commonly Confused

See some.

Etymology

Origin of any

First recorded before 950; Middle English eni, ani, Old English ǣnig ( Old English ān one + -ig -y ¹ )

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Explanation

Use the word any when you're talking about every possible quantity of something — whether it's one, a few, or many. You might ask an ice cream truck driver, "Do you have any ice cream sandwiches?" Any refers to non-specific amounts of something, as when you ask your friend, "Do you have any advice about what movie I should see?" or you ask a bakery worker, "Do you have any chocolate croissants left?" It also means "at all," like when you complain, "That pep talk didn't make me feel any better." In Old English, the word was ænig, which meant both "any" and "anyone," or literally, "one-y."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

any

It’s one of the great power ballads of the last 25 years, with a chorus as cathartic as any in modern pop; Cyrus, the showbiz lifer, surely understood the payoff she was building toward.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026

IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva similarly noted the AI boom's boost to global growth, but she told AFP that any slowdown in the industry "would be felt across the world".

From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026

At the very least, she gets more attention, interest and care from me than she’s likely to get at any job.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 17, 2026

The statute defines “videotape service provider” to include any person in the business of delivering “prerecorded video cassette tapes or similar audio visual materials.”

From Slate ● Oct. 17, 2026

He says he doesn’t think it’s appropriate for her to be friends with any of the men at Carville, because she is married.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

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Related Words

• all
• each
• either
• several

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