anything
Americanpronoun
noun
adverb
idioms
-
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!
-
anything but, in no degree or respect; not in the least.
The plans were anything but definite.
pronoun
noun
adverb
-
in any way
he wasn't anything like his father
-
by no means; not in the least
she was anything but happy
-
(intensifier; usually euphemistic)
he ran like 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.
"Anything related to football songs is banned," explains Bunney, 32.
From BBC • May 26, 2026
Anything that doesn’t materially top those figures, as well as the second quarter outlook for sales of around $87.1 billion, could trigger the pullback in stocks that other markets are indicating.
From Barron's • May 18, 2026
Anything you would tell brands if you could?
From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026
Anything with high protein or high in calories isn’t.
From Salon • May 17, 2026
Anything was better than the filthy rags I was wearing.
From "The Old Willis Place" by Mary Downing Hahn
![]()
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.