anywhere
Americanadverb
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in, at, or to any place.
-
to any extent; to some degree.
Does my answer come anywhere near the right one?
noun
idioms
adverb
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in, at, or to any place
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to be successful
it took three years before he got anywhere
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any quantity, time, degree, etc, above a specified limit
he could be anywhere from 40 to 50 years old
Spelling
See anyplace.
Etymology
Origin of anywhere
1350–1400; Middle English anywher ( e ), aniquar. See any, where
Explanation
The adverb anywhere means "in any location," or "wherever." If you're allowed to pitch your tent anywhere in the campground, it means you can choose any spot you like. When you say, "I can't find the cat anywhere!" it means you've looked every single place you can think of, and you still haven't located your pet. If you win the lottery, you may be overwhelmed by the idea that you can afford to travel anywhere — you can visit any country in the world. English speakers started saying anywhere in the 14th century; earlier, they said owhere or oughwhere.
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 they are not always the languages that we are most likely to use as adults, when family and work could take us anywhere.
From Science Daily • May 22, 2026
While certain transit discount programs have been rolled out at some U.S. host cities, no cheap-ticket program like this has been announced anywhere else yet.
From MarketWatch • May 21, 2026
Although still a street-style circuit, the weather is much cooler and the tyres do not suffer anywhere near as much from overheating.
From BBC • May 21, 2026
If you can make it there, as Frank Sinatra crooned, you’ll make it anywhere.
From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026
To add a dog to a team anywhere on the trail was against the rules.
From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell
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.
