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

These markets are highly vulnerable to manipulation by anonymous insiders with access to non-public information. —Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2026

Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to call KCPD homicide detectives at 816-234-5043 or the anonymous TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477). —Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 11 Mar. 2026

Two sources familiar with conversations with Raúl Castro’s inner circle, who asked to remain anonymous to discuss the sensitive matter, said there is no deal with Cuba yet. —Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 11 Mar. 2026

Most recently, an anonymous tip came in from a Lake Worth Beach resident that identified Williams as a possible suspect. —Shira Moolten, Sun Sentinel, 11 Mar. 2026

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