something

Something is an English indefinite pronoun used to refer to an unspecified object, person, or matter. It signals that the exact referent is unknown or unimportant in the context. In sentences, something can serve as the subject, as in “Something happened yesterday,” or as the object, as in “I heard something.” It also appears in noun phrases such as “something new” or “something to eat,” where it introduces an indefinite referent that is described by a following word or phrase. The word is versatile and frequently used in informal and formal registers to introduce topics, information, or hypothetical ideas.

Grammatical and usage notes: Something often introduces new information or a topic for discussion. In questions, it serves as a broad inquiry, for example, “Did you see something?” In negative constructions, speakers more commonly use anything (as in “I didn’t see anything”), though exceptions occur in emphatic or conditional contexts, such as “If something happens, tell me.” Collocations include phrases like “something else,” “something like,” and “there is something in the bag,” which help convey contrast, similarity, or presence.

Etymology and history: Something derives from the Old English elements sum (some) and thing, forming a compound that has existed in English since the medieval period. It has maintained a stable role as a general referent for unspecified things.

See also: indefinite pronoun, existential clause, demonstrative pronouns.