any

1 of 3

adjective

1
: one or some indiscriminately of whatever kind:
a
: one or another taken at random
Ask any man you meet.
b
: every
used to indicate one selected without restriction
Any child would know that.
2
: one, some, or all indiscriminately of whatever quantity:
a
: one or more
used to indicate an undetermined number or amount
Do you have any money?
b
: all
used to indicate a maximum or whole
He needs any help he can get.
c
: a or some without reference to quantity or extent
I'd be grateful for any favor at all.
3
a
: unmeasured or unlimited in amount, number, or extent
any quantity you desire
b
: appreciably large or extended
could not endure it any length of time

any

2 of 3

pronoun

singular or plural in construction
1
: any person or persons : anyone
I don't know any of them.
2
a
: any thing or things
The movie's opening scene is as powerful as any I've seen.
b
: any part, quantity, or number
You haven't eaten any of your salad.

any

3 of 3

adverb

: to any extent or degree : at all
was never any good
No, it doesn't help me any.

Examples of any in a Sentence

Adjective any person who comes in the store today is eligible for the discount Adverb The food there is never any good. He won't be any happier there than he was here. I could not walk any farther. I can't eat any more pizza.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
No one, after all, would be any the wiser: Hillary would coast to victory, so Democrats would continue running the government; FISA materials are highly classified, so they’d be kept under wraps. Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 23 Dec. 2017 In another Tuesday morning tweet, the president denied even knowing any the women who have spoken out. Benjamin Hart, Daily Intelligencer, 12 Dec. 2017 The first thing to do is remove any the things that attract the skunk. Joan Morris, The Mercury News, 20 Feb. 2017
Adverb
If critics cease to be, would life on earth be any different? Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 15 Nov. 2023 But beyond that, Motorola doesn't seem any closer to releasing the design. Scharon Harding, Ars Technica, 25 Oct. 2023 Asics Women’s Gel-nimbus 24 Running Shoes At first glance, the Gel-Nimbus 24s may not look any different than the sneakers currently in your closet. Hillary Maglin, Travel + Leisure, 14 Oct. 2023 But Republicans don't appear to be any closer to coalescing around one candidate to become the next speaker. ABC News, 8 Oct. 2023 Best Amazon Home Deals Deals aren’t any less impressive in Amazon’s home department. Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 18 Sep. 2023 After a remarkably short court proceeding, a judge praised Norton for his candor and ordered him not to view Gunn’s application any differently from another applicant. Rebecca Griesbach | Rgriesbach@al.com, al, 11 Sep. 2023 If kept as a pet, the species need a shallow water bowl, but access to the water should not be any deeper than the tortoise's bridge, the section of its body where the top and bottom shell meet. Michael Tortorich, USA TODAY, 6 Sep. 2023 So, in my eyes, a continuing resolution that just has fake things doesn't get us any closer. CBS News, 24 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'any.' 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

Adjective

Middle English, from Old English ǣnig; akin to Old High German einag any, Old English ān one — more at one

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Pronoun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of any was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near any

Cite this Entry

“Any.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/any. Accessed 1 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

any

1 of 3 adjective
1
: one taken at random
any person you meet
2
: every sense 1
any child knows that
3
: of whatever number or amount
haven't any money

any

2 of 3 pronoun singular or plural
1
: any individuals
are any of you ready
2
: any number or amount
there isn't any left

any

3 of 3 adverb
: to the least amount or degree
can't get it any clearer
was never any good

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