like anything

Idioms

Extremely, vigorously, as in She cried like anything when the dog died. This idiom probably substitutes anything for a swear word. [Colloquial; late 1600s]

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.

The bot and the baby know nothing of the world it describes, besides a handful of overused jargon that, like anything, loses its meaning if repeated enough times.

From Slate • Mar. 20, 2026

“My life is very simple and I don’t go to outside sources like that. Yeah, it is embarrassing, but I’m sure I’ll get over it, like anything else.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 6, 2026

I like anything effervescent and not too sweet, ideally ladled from a punch bowl because punch bowls inherently make adults feel like children in the best possible way.

From Salon • Nov. 25, 2025

Hidden away from all of this is a group for whom sweating can feel like anything but a superpower.

From BBC • Oct. 16, 2025

It hurt like anything, but I held on.

From "Life Is So Good" by George Dawson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023