or something
Or something like that. Used to indicate the possibility that the preceding word or phrase is vague or not exactly correct in its applicability.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Are you hungry, or something?”
“You should wear a suit or something to the wedding.”
“Did you lose your keys or something?”
“I think he was angry or something, because he left the party without saying goodbye.”
“The engine started making a loud clicking sound or something, so I pulled the car over to check the oil.”
“We need to find a screwdriver or something to open this battery cover before the remote dies completely.”
“She seemed to be implying that the project was a failure, or something of that nature, though she never stated it directly.”
From the late 16th century, the term is a linguistic ellipsis, a grammatical omission of specific nouns or phrases that the speaker deems understood by the listener. It serves as a placeholder for a following set of possibilities, functioning as an indicator that the preceding thought is illustrative rather than exhaustive.
- 01
a little of something goes a long way
Only a small amount of something is usually required to produce a great effect.
- 02
chalk something up to experience
To take a lesson from a bad outcome instead of grieving it.
- 03
get something over with
To proceed to do something as soon as possible, especially so as to have something unpleasant behind oneself.
- 04
give someone something to think about
To threaten or provide a challenge to.
- 05
give something a go
To try or attempt.
- 06
give something a miss
To forgo something.
- 07
give something a try
To try or attempt something.
- 08
give something a whirl
To try, test or attempt.
Last updated August 10, 2026