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View synonyms for anything

anything

[ en-ee-thing ]

pronoun

  1. any thing whatever; something, no matter what:

    Do you have anything for a toothache?



noun

  1. a thing of any kind.

adverb

  1. in any degree; to any extent; in any way; at all:

    Does it taste anything like chocolate?

anything

/ ˈɛnɪˌθɪŋ /

pronoun

  1. any object, event, action, etc, whatever

    anything might happen

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


noun

  1. a thing of any kind

    have you anything to declare?

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adverb

  1. in any way

    he wasn't anything like his father

  2. anything but
    by no means; not in the least

    she was anything but happy

  3. like anything
    (intensifier; usually euphemistic)

    he ran like anything

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of anything1

before 900; Middle English ani thing, eni thing, Old English ǣnig thing. See any, thing 1
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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. anything but, in no degree or respect; not in the least:

    The plans were anything but definite.

  2. anything goes, any type of conduct, dress, speech, etc., is considered acceptable or valid or is likely to be encountered and tolerated:

    That resort is a place where anything goes!

More idioms and phrases containing anything

  • can't do anything with
  • if anything
  • like anything
  • not anything like
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Example Sentences

Mr Justice Julian Goose told the court the defendant had "chosen" not to say anything and ordered a further preparatory hearing ahead of the trial to take place in December.

From BBC

The ritual Democratic self-flagellation is calming down a bit as most people finally take a breath and recognize that while the result was a terrible disappointment it was anything but a landslide for Donald Trump, nor was it a crushing rebuke of the Democrats.

From Salon

"I am not sure if that means anything now, especially as I feel my game is completely different to how it was back then," said Hall.

From BBC

For all that, the full import of McMahon’s decision is anything but clear.

When Wendy Dio told him she was putting together a fund to help those battling cancer, Trunk vowed he’d do anything he could to help.

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Related Words

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.

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