anonymous

adjective

anon·​y·​mous ə-ˈnä-nə-məs 

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

Synonyms of anonymous

• one
• unnamed

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

Sources familiar with City’s planning and methods, who asked to remain anonymous to protect relationships, told The Athletic there is a science behind the scheduling and pacing of their work to avoid burnout and ensure longevity. —Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 12 Dec. 2025

The news was reported by several outlets, including ABC News and CNN, which each cited anonymous sources familiar with the matter. —Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 11 Dec. 2025

To make matters worse, the POW ships were often unmarked, their human cargo anonymous. —Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 11 Dec. 2025

Authorities are asking anyone with information related to drug activity in Georgia to call the GBI Appalachian Regional Drug Enforcement Office at [phone] or send an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-597-8477. —Dan Raby, CBS News, 11 Dec. 2025

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

1625, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for anonymous

• autonomous
• economise
• eponymous
• synonymous

Kids Definition

anonymous

adjective

anon·​y·​mous ə-ˈnän-ə-məs 

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