somebody

American  

[suhm-bod-ee, -buhd-ee, -buh-dee] / ˈsʌmˌbɒd i, -ˌbʌd i, -bə di /

pronoun

1. some person.

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noun

somebodies plural

1. a person of some note or importance.

somebody British  

/ ˈsʌmbədɪ /

pronoun

1. some person; someone

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noun

1. a person of greater importance than others

   he seems to be somebody in this town

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• somebodies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of somebody

Middle English word dating back to 1275–1325; see origin at some, body

Compare meaning

How does somebody compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• someone vs. somebody

Explanation

When you're talking about a person, but not a specific one, use the word somebody. If you cook more than you can eat yourself, you might ask, "Does somebody want this extra macaroni and cheese?" Interestingly, synonyms for somebody include "whoever" and "superstar." In other words, you can use this pronoun to mean any random individual, like when you suggest that somebody is likely to get hurt at a busy intersection near your house. But you can also use it for a very important, well-known, successful, or famous person: "I don't want to get stuck in this small town — I want to be somebody!"

Example Sentences

“Finally, somebody flipped a table, threw wine on somebody else, and all the voters started paying attention,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 1, 2026

"Unless somebody comes up with a better idea, at the minute anything's better than that."

From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026

“Throwing it like I know how to throw it and for somebody my age,” he quipped.

From Los Angeles Times • May 31, 2026

“That report is almost too good to be true for somebody of his age,” Shutze said.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 31, 2026

When you hear somebody read a story well, you can’t help but think there’s some good inside them, even if you don’t know them.

From "Ida B" by Katherine Hannigan

Related Words

• someone
• whoever