anyone
Americanpronoun
pronoun
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any person; anybody
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(used with a negative or a question) a person of any importance
is he anyone in this town?
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(often preceded by just) any person at random; no matter who
Spelling
Anyone as a pronoun meaning “anybody” or “any person at all” is written as one word: Does anyone have the correct time? The two-word phrase any one means “any single member of a group of persons or things” and is often followed by of: Can any one of the members type? Any one of these books is exciting reading. Anyone is somewhat more formal than anybody.
Usage
See each, they ( def. ).
Etymology
Origin of anyone
First recorded in 1350–1400, anyone is from Middle English ani on. See any, one
Compare meaning
How does anyone 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.
Dantzler knew citrus greening as well as anyone.
From Slate • Apr. 20, 2026
The force is appealing for witnesses or anyone with footage of the crash.
From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026
The Citi Field crowd will surely welcome them warmly—if anyone braves near-freezing temperatures in New York that night to watch them.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026
The SEC didn’t allege he defrauded anyone, or that a single investor lost money buying the stock he sold.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026
Clare knew, better than anyone, where that was: one of the four realms of the Afterlife.
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.
