anywhere

American  

[en-ee-hwair, -wair] / ˈɛn iˌʰwɛər, -ˌwɛər /

adverb

1. in, at, or to any place.

2. to any extent; to some degree.

   Does my answer come anywhere near the right one?

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noun

1. any place or direction.

   They knew the attack could come from anywhere.

idioms

1. get anywhere, to achieve success.

   You'll never get anywhere with that attitude!

anywhere British  

/ ˈɛnɪˌwɛə /

adverb

1. in, at, or to any place

2. to be successful

   it took three years before he got anywhere

3. any quantity, time, degree, etc, above a specified limit

   he could be anywhere from 40 to 50 years old

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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

Whoever you support, I'd like to know who you would put up as the best team you've seen at your own club, or anywhere else, and how Arsenal and City compare.

From BBC • Apr. 19, 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

So while the bill’s passage through the House was a significant feat, it’s unlikely to go anywhere.

From Slate • Apr. 18, 2026

“That person didn’t leave his or her or their name, and they could have been calling from anywhere; they could have been calling from Los Angeles.”

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse