What does "something" mean?
An object whose nature is yet to be defined.
Something
/ˈsʌm.θɪŋ/ adj, adv, noun, pron, verb, slang
adj, adv, noun, pron, verb, slang ·Common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An object whose nature is yet to be defined.
- Grammar: something is listed as adj, adv, noun, pron, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: affair, an existence, any, anything.
- Useful contrasts: naught, nihil, nix.
- Usage evidence: It would be something I'd have to program.
How to use "something"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "something" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "something" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "something" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "something" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "something" is acting as adj, adv, noun, pron, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "affair" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "something", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An object whose nature is yet to be defined.
"Yea, ’t is true; I ’d know thee by thine eyen, that are gray, and thoughtful, and dark with a something that lies behind the colour of them,—and shining by the light of a lamp lit somewhere within."
- 2 An object whose name is forgotten by, unknown or unimportant to the user, e.g., from words of a song. Also used to refer to an object earlier indefinitely referred to as 'something' (pronoun sense).
"What was the something the pilot saw, the something worth killing for?"
Verb
- 1 Designates an action whose name is forgotten by, unknown or unimportant to the user, e.g. from words of a song. colloquial
"1890, William Dean Howells, A Hazard of New Fortunes http://books.google.com/books?ie=UTF-8&hl=en&vid=ISBN0140439234&id=IOZeJi7U4eEC&pg=PA96&lpg=PA96&sig=LW2P-uKmoZabe70ZKnIHIMQLXlw He didn’t apply for it for a long time, and then there was a hitch about it, and it was somethinged—vetoed, I believe she said."
Adjective
- 1 Having a characteristic that the speaker cannot specify. not-comparable
""Very poetic." They came to a halt before the outer door. "It's very something," Rusty said wistfully. "How do you do it?""
Adverb
- 1 Somewhat; to a degree. not-comparable
"The baby looks something like his father."
- 2 Used to adverbialise a following adjective colloquial, especially, not-comparable
"I miss them something terrible/rotten. (I miss them terribly)"
Pronoun
- 1 An uncertain or unspecified thing; one thing. indefinite, pronoun
"I must have forgotten to pack something, but I can't think what."
- 2 A quality to a moderate degree. colloquial, indefinite, pronoun
"The performance was something of a disappointment."
- 3 A talent or quality that is difficult to specify. colloquial, indefinite, pronoun
"She has a certain something."
- 4 Somebody who or something that is superlative or notable in some way. colloquial, indefinite, often, pronoun
"He's really something! I've never heard such a great voice."
Example
"It would be something I'd have to program."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "something"?
Common synonyms include: affair, an existence, any, anything, anything, article.
How do you use "something" in a sentence?
It would be something I'd have to program.
How do you pronounce "something"?
Pronounced /ˈsʌm.θɪŋ/.
Etymology
From Middle English somþyng, some-thing, som thing, sum thinge, sum þinge, from Old English sum þing (literally “some thing”), equivalent to some + thing. Compare Old English āwiht (“something”, literally “some thing, any thing”), Swedish någonting (“something”, literally “some thing, any thing”).