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.
Police have appealed for anyone with information about the collision or who has dash-cam footage of what happened to contact them.
From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026
When Clay Travis and Buck Sexton took over Rush Limbaugh’s radio slot in 2021 following Limbaugh’s death, it was hard to imagine that anyone could fill the conservative firebrand’s shoes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 2, 2026
Your business becomes the business of everyone and anyone.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 2, 2026
“It’s like being an anomaly. I would go to these football and baseball camps, ‘Is anyone a lefty?’
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
“I have a watch here with a face that’s causing difficulty. One of the numbers has worked loose and it’s holding back the hand. Do you know anyone who does this kind of repair work?”
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
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.
