The words “any one” and “anyone” may look similar, but they do not mean the same thing. The main difference is that “anyone” is an indefinite pronoun while “any one” is not really a word at all–– it’s a two-worded phrase. Show
More specifically, the pronoun “anyone” (one word) can reference one person or a group of people, while the phrase “any one” (two words) references any single person, place, or thing. The origins of confusion: anyone vs. any oneAccording to Garner’s Modern English Usage (GMEU), there was a time when “anyone” was written as two words: “any one.” But as with many English phrases, the unification of “any one” is complete, and the single-worded version is now a part of standard English (Garner 58). The union of “any” and “one” is thought to have taken place in 1844 (Modern English), although Old English ænigmon also meant ‘anyone’ or ‘someone.’ Additional forms included:
What does anyone mean?According to the New Oxford English Dictionary, the word anyone is an indefinite pronoun that references “any person or people” or “a person of importance or authority” (“Anyone” 71). For example,
The pronoun “anyone” is the most similar to “anybody” (another indefinite pronoun) because they serve the same function: to describe any person at all. For example,
Synonyms of anyoneAll, anybody, everybody, everyone, somebody, someone. Antonyms of anyoneNobody, none, no one. What does any one mean?“Any one” is not a recognized word in the English language. In fact, standard dictionaries don’t provide definitions of “any one,” except to differentiate it from its single word counterpart. However, we can use “any one” as an adjective phrase to indiscriminately reference a person, place, thing from a larger group. Sentence examples:
Usage noteIn case you haven’t noticed, we often pair “any one” with the preposition “of” to address specific pronouns and determiners. For example,
How to use anyone vs. any one in a sentence?Many writers confuse terms like “anyone” and “any one” because they don’t understand indefinite pronouns or how “any one” functions as an adjective phrase. To settle the confusion once and for all, let’s review these simple grammar topics. What are indefinite pronouns?In general, indefinite pronouns are words that can describe any person, place, or thing (although they can specify non-specific actions in certain circumstances). When indefinite pronouns contain quantifying or distributing terms like “any,” “every,” “some,” or “no,” there are specific contexts when one word is more appropriate than the other. Indefinite pronouns with “every” reference all quantities of people, places, or things:
Indefinite pronouns with “some” reference partial quantities of people, places, or things:
Indefinite pronouns with “any” imply no selective preference to a person, place, or thing in a group:
Indefinite pronouns with “none” or “no” (negative quantifiers) reference zero quantities of people, places, or things:
Indefinite pronouns for individuals or peopleAs we can see, indefinite pronouns reference non-specific objects, but we can use their determiners to address specific types of nouns. When we need to address people, we only use the following indefinite pronouns:
Example sentences:
There are exceptions to the rules, such as when we use “something,” “anything,” or “nothing” to include all “things” imaginable. Likewise, the word “thing” is appropriate when there is uncertainty over a noun’s humanity. For example,
What are adjective phrases?Adjective phrases are what they sound like: two or more words that describe something else. In the case of “any one,” we have the determiner “any” paired with the number “one” to select a single individual noun from multiple options indiscriminately. Examples sentences:
The Word Counter has covered similar adjective phrases, such as “every one,” “some day,” “a lot,” or “a while.” These particular phrases parallel “any one” because they reference certain people, dates, quantities, and times in a nonspecific manner. When to use anyone vs. any one in a sentence?“Anyone” does not explicitly reference any single member of a group, and it is often used when the subject in question is general and open-ended. For example, if someone said “they can choose anyone they want,” that means “they” can select any or all of the people available. In contrast, the sentence “they can choose any one they want” means that someone can choose any person, place, or thing available. Therefore:
Example sentences:
When to use anyone vs. anybody?According to Garner’s Modern English Usage, the pronouns “anyone” and “anybody” are completely interchangeable, although “anyone” appears far more often than “anybody.” The preference toward “anyone” is likely due to context and “euphony,” as “anyone” rolls off the tongue a bit easier than its four-syllable counterpart (Garner 58). Sentence examples:
Test Yourself!Anyone can learn the difference between “anyone” and “any one.” See how much you’ve learned with the following multiple-choice questions. |