anyone's

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "anyone's" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate possession or belonging to any person in a general sense. Example: "This book is anyone's guess as to what the ending will be."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

It's anyone's game".

The New York Times - Sports

After that, it's anyone's guess.

The New Yorker

It's anyone's guess, frankly.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Still, it's anyone's hole.

The Guardian - Sport

Otherwise, it's anyone's guess.

The Guardian - Music

Now, it's anyone's game.

The Guardian - Sport

It's anyone's race, really.

The Guardian - Sport

That's anyone's guess.

Forbes

It's anyone's guess.

The New York Times - Tech

Now, it's anyone's title.

Los Angeles Times

It's anyone's best asset.

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "anyone's" to indicate possession by an unspecified person. For example, "It's anyone's guess what will happen next."

Common error

Avoid the common mistake of using "anyones" as a possessive form; the correct form is "anyone's". "Anyones" is not a standard English word.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "anyone's" is to indicate possession or belonging to an unspecified person. As shown in the examples provided by Ludwig, it can be used in phrases like "anyone's guess" or "anyone's game" to suggest a general possibility.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Wiki

17%

Science

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Encyclopedias

6%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the term "anyone's" functions as a possessive pronoun indicating ownership or belonging to an unspecified individual. Ludwig AI highlights its frequent usage in varied contexts, from journalistic to informal writing. Its meaning, as evidenced by the examples provided by Ludwig, typically conveys uncertainty or generality. It's worth remembering that the correct possessive form is "anyone's", not "anyones". Although it appears in both formal and informal settings, it maintains a generally neutral tone, and its frequent occurrence in sources like The New York Times, The Guardian, and BBC underscores its widespread acceptance and applicability in contemporary English.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

any person's

Replaces the pronoun with a more explicit noun phrase.

belonging to anyone

Uses a prepositional phrase to express possession.

of any person

Similar to "belonging to anyone" but with a slightly more formal tone.

someone's

Specifies a single, unspecified person, rather than anyone.

everybody's

Refers to all people in a group, implying collective ownership.

everyone's

Similar to "everybody's", indicating possession by all.

no one's

Indicates that something does not belong to anyone.

nobody's

Synonymous with "no one's", emphasizing the absence of ownership.

whosever

A more formal or archaic term for "anyone's".

whomever's

The objective case of "whosever", used less frequently.

FAQs

How is "anyone's" used in a sentence?

"Anyone's" is used to show possession or belonging to an unspecified person. For example, "It is "anyone's guess" who will win the election."

What's the difference between "anyone's" and "any one's"?

"Anyone's" is the possessive form of "anyone," while "any one's" means "any one of something's". For example, "That could be anyone's coat" versus "Any one's opinion is as valid as the next".

What can I say instead of "anyone's guess"?

Alternatives include "anybody's guess", "up for grabs", or "uncertain depending on the context".

When should I use "anyone's" instead of "someone's"?

Use "anyone's" when referring to a general possibility applicable to all people; use "someone's" when referring to a specific, though unidentified, person. "It's "anyone's game"" means all players have a chance, while "Someone's at the door" indicates a specific individual.