anybody
Americanpronoun
noun
idioms
pronoun
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any person; anyone
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(usually used with a negative or a question) a person of any importance
he isn't anybody in this town
noun
Spelling
The pronoun anybody is always written as one word: Is anybody home? There isn't anybody in the office. The two-word noun phrase any body means “any group” ( Any body of students will include a few dissidents ) or “any physical body” ( The search continued for a week despite the failure to find any body ). If the word a can be substituted for any without seriously affecting the meaning, the two-word noun phrase is called for: a body of students; failure to find a body. If the substitution cannot be made, the spelling is anybody. Anybody is less formal than anyone. See also anyone.
Usage
See each, they ( def. ).
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of anybody
First recorded in 1250–1300, anybody is from Middle English ani bodi. See any, body
Compare meaning
How does anybody 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.
Anybody making a financial pitch to you out of the blue likely has ulterior motives.
From MarketWatch • May 26, 2026
"Anybody in this country is eligible to apply if they believe they were a victim of weaponization," Blanche said.
From Barron's • May 19, 2026
"Anybody who makes the cut will feel they're right in this golf tournament," added McIlroy.
From BBC • May 16, 2026
Anybody not seeing and hearing Emily Blunt in their mind at this moment is clearly not a “Prada” fan.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2026
“You told the truth—your dad’s a peaceful, well-meaning guy who occasionally loses a wing nut. Anybody who reads that story can see how much you care.”
From "Flush" by Carl Hiaasen
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.
