anything goes

Idioms  

1. Everything is permitted, as in You're wearing sneakers to the office?—Why not? Anything goes these days. This idiom began life as everything goes, which appeared in George Meredith's novel The Egoist (1879). In America anything was the preferred word, which gained further currency with Cole Porter's use of the term as the title of his 1934 song and musical comedy, Anything Goes!

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Example Sentences

And if anything goes wrong, he’ll happily take the fall.

From Salon • Apr. 9, 2026

The moment anything goes wrong, the doomsaying around the club reaches frenetic levels rarely seen outside the New York Mets.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 1, 2026

“Experts also advise traveling in groups and bringing a satellite communication device to contact help if anything goes wrong.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 22, 2026

"That if anything goes wrong politically, Nigeria must take responsibility," Anshuur said.

From BBC • Jan. 8, 2026

He’s up in a hovercraft, watching me carefully, ready to swoop in if anything goes amiss.

From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins