Difference Between Anyone and Anybody

Main Difference – Anyone vs. Anybody

Anyone and Anybody are two indefinite pronouns that refer to a single individual within an unlimited set of people. These two pronouns are often used interchangeably though there exists a slight difference between them. The main difference between anyone and anybody is that Anyone is slightly more formal than Anybody and is more used in the written language. Let us examine the meaning and usage of these two words by further analyzing these two words.

Anyone – Meaning and Usage

Anyone is an indefinite pronoun in the singular form that refers to a single individual within an unlimited set of people. This pronoun is more often used in negative and interrogative forms, but it does not have a negative meaning on its own. It is important to remember that the verb that follows this pronoun should always remain single. The sentences below will further explain the use of this indefinite pronoun.

Does this bag belong to anyone?

I heard a noise, but when I went inside the house, there wasn’t anyone.

Did anyone note the license plate of that car?

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Keep in mind, however that anyone(one word) and any one(two words) have two different meanings and cannot be used interchangeably.

Does anyone know the answer?

Anybody – Meaning and Usage

Anybody is also a singular indefinite pronoun. It is often used as a synonym for anyone. In fact, the Oxford Dictionary describes anybody in a single word: anyone. Therefore, it is clear that both these two pronouns are interchangeable. However, there is a slight difference between the two words when it comes to usage. Anybody is less formal than anyone and, therefore, used less in written language. The Oxford dictionary of American Usage and Style states that “The two terms are interchangeable, so euphony governs the choice in any given context. In practice, anyone appears in print about three times as often as anybody.”

The following examples will explain how anybody is used in sentences. Note that anybody is also often used in questions and negatives.

I called out aloud few times, but there wasn’t anybody around.

There are not that good; anybody can beat them.

I didn’t know anybody there, so I came home.

Did anybody blame you?