someone

American  

[suhm-wuhn, -wuhn] / ˈsʌmˌwʌn, -wən /

pronoun

1. some person; somebody.

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someone British  

/ ˈsʌmˌwʌn, -wən /

pronoun

1. some person; somebody

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Etymology

Origin of someone

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

Compare meaning

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

• someone vs. somebody

Explanation

The word someone refers a person or an individual, but not necessarily a specific one. If you're not hungry enough for dessert after lunch, you can ask the friends at your table, "Does someone want my ice cream sandwich?" It's a funny contradiction, but the noun someone can be used to mean "any unspecified person," but also "a very important person." So a child might say, "When I grow up, I want to be someone," meaning that they want to be well-known or famous, or just really good at something. Someone and somebody are synonyms, so you can use them interchangeably, although someone is slightly more formal.

Example Sentences

There are also deadlines approaching for postal votes and proxy votes - when you nominate someone to vote on your behalf.

From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026

And soon, someone booking a top-tier Delta seat will see an option to skip the terminal for a private cabin.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026

Additionally, Montgomery once said that Carruthers was not involved in the triple murder and implicated someone else, a man named Ronnie Irving.

From Slate • Apr. 20, 2026

He then did the same exercise for someone retiring in October 1968.

From Barron's • Apr. 19, 2026

“From someone who’s been here,” she finished simply, not understanding my perplexity.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Related Words

• character
• leader
• official
• star