anonymous

adjective

anon·​y·​mous ə-ˈnä-nə-məs How to pronounce anonymous (audio)
1
: of unknown authorship or origin
an anonymous tip
2
: not named or identified
an anonymous author
They wish to remain anonymous.
3
: lacking individuality, distinction, or recognizability
the anonymous faces in the crowd
… the gray anonymous streets …William Styron
anonymousness noun

Examples of anonymous in a Sentence

The donor wishes to remain anonymous. An anonymous buyer purchased the painting. The college received an anonymous gift. He made an anonymous phone call to the police. The reporter got an anonymous tip. His was just another anonymous face in the crowd.
Recent Examples on the Web Mitchell said anyone with information that could aid in the LMPD Homicide Unit's investigation can call the anonymous tip line at (502)574-LMPD. Reach reporter Rachel Smith atrksmith@courierjournal.com or @RachelSmithNews on X, formerly known as Twitter. The Courier-Journal, 15 Mar. 2024 The data is anonymous and not tied to a specific worker, according to Hällfors. Chloe Berger, Fortune, 15 Mar. 2024 The principal at the girl’s middle school received multiple anonymous calls saying the girl had strangled cats and harmed herself, according to a police report obtained by The Post. Chris Dehghanpoor, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2024 To remain anonymous, tipsters should contact Crime Stoppers at 404-577-TIPS (8477) or visit www.stopcrimeATL.com. Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 12 Mar. 2024 In a news conference held Sunday, Lt. Deena Thoemmes said Honolulu police responded to a call that morning from an anonymous caller who heard an argument at a home in Manoa, a residential area adjacent to downtown Honolulu, located on Hawaii's Oahu island. Emily Deletter, USA TODAY, 11 Mar. 2024 Last year, four police officers and two civilians were killed after an anonymous caller sent a tip about a clandestine burial site outside Guadalajara. Keegan Hamilton, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2024 What is the best way to stay private, secure and anonymous while browsing the web? Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 9 Mar. 2024 For years, Jeremy Strong was a relatively anonymous, steadily gigging actor. David Marchese Photograph By Mamadi Doumbouya, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'anonymous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin anōnymos, anōnymus "lacking a name" (borrowed from Greek anṓnymos "lacking a name, unnamed, not well-known or remembered," from an- an- + -ōnymos, derivative in adjectival compounds of ónoma, Doric and Aeolic dialects ónyma "name") + -ous — more at name entry 1

First Known Use

1563, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of anonymous was in 1563

Dictionary Entries Near anonymous

Cite this Entry

“Anonymous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anonymous. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

anonymous

adjective
anon·​y·​mous ə-ˈnän-ə-məs How to pronounce anonymous (audio)
1
: not named or identified
the donor remained anonymous
2
: made or done by someone unknown
anonymous gifts
an anonymous poem
anonymously adverb
anonymousness noun
Etymology

from Latin anonymus "anonymous," from Greek anonymos (same meaning), from an-, a- "not, without" and onyma, onoma "name" — related to synonymous

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