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.
"My life changed in 1981 when Steve Davis won the World Championship. It's unthinkable for us to play the World Championship anywhere else than this great venue."
From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026
Frozen garlic, however, stays good for a significant amount of time — anywhere between a few months to a year, Matijevich says.
From Salon • Apr. 19, 2026
“Except we don’t have anywhere for these people to live.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026
And when the technicalities of A.I. detection collide with cancel culture, it does not lead anywhere productive.
From Slate • Apr. 17, 2026
“I’m going to kneel to the floor now. I’m not going to put my hands anywhere but on the ground.”
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
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.
