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Synonyms

anything

American  
[en-ee-thing] / ˈɛn iˌθɪŋ /

pronoun

  1. any thing whatever; something, no matter what.

    Do you have anything for a toothache?

noun

  1. a thing of any kind.

adverb

  1. in any degree; to any extent; in any way; at all.

    Does it taste anything like chocolate?

idioms

  1. anything goes, any type of conduct, dress, speech, etc., is considered acceptable or valid or is likely to be encountered and tolerated.

    That resort is a place where anything goes!

  2. anything but, in no degree or respect; not in the least.

    The plans were anything but definite.
anything British  
/ ˈɛnɪˌθɪŋ /

pronoun

  1. any object, event, action, etc, whatever

    anything might happen
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a thing of any kind

    have you anything to declare?
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adverb

  1. in any way

    he wasn't anything like his father

  2. by no means; not in the least

    she was anything but happy

  3. (intensifier; usually euphemistic)

    he ran like anything
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
anything More Idioms  

    More idioms and phrases containing anything

Etymology

Origin of anything

before 900; Middle English ani thing, eni thing, Old English ǣnig thing. See any, thing 1

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.

But his path from quarterback at Northeastern Louisiana and Appalachian State to where he is now was anything but a straight line.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2026

All but two of the S&P 500’s sectors had come into this week up for the year, making many stocks vulnerable to earnings reports that were anything short of spotless.

From Barron's • Apr. 24, 2026

If those words mean anything, the school will identify the students who disrupted the event and hand them more than a slap on the wrist.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

"I cannot imagine anything worse in this world than losing a child," he added.

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026

I’d asked her why we couldn’t just figure out our wardrobe the day of the party, and she looked at me like she’d never heard anything so ridiculous.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

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.