ENGLISH
REFERENCE

or somebody

idiom
Meaning

you use this after naming a person to show you are not 100% sure if it was them or someone else.


Examples
SIMPLE

I think John or somebody left this bag here.

CONTEXTUAL

I saw Sarah or somebody walking into the library, but I was too far away to be certain.

COMPLEX

The witness claimed that the manager or somebody with similar authority had authorized the change, though he could not confirm the identity of the person.

Last updated April 22, 2026