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.
“We are building AI compute capacity at scale faster than anyone else,” Musk said Tuesday on SpaceX’s first-ever quarterly call as a public company.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
Police say enquiries are ongoing and have urged anyone with information or video footage "to do the right thing and come forward".
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
Dicus said deputies were not aware that anyone was in the trunk of the car during the traffic stop.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026
His filmography is as vast and varied as this bizarre castle’s meanderings, with life lessons for anyone.
From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026
If anyone finds out about her illness, it will be difficult for the Jesuits to hide her.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
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.
