# somebody

/ˈsəmˌbɑdi/ (US) · /sˈʌmbɒdi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/somebody
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. an unknown person

pronoun · CEFR A1

a person, but you do not know or say exactly who they are.

For teachers: an unspecified or unknown person. Functions as a singular pronoun and typically takes a singular verb.

- Somebody left the front door open, and now the house is freezing.
- Somebody must have entered the building after the security guard finished his rounds, as the alarm was triggered at midnight.

### 2. an important person

noun · CEFR B2 · Informal

a person who is famous, successful, or important.

For teachers: a person of importance, authority, or celebrity status. Often used in contrast with 'nobody'.

- He worked hard because he really wanted to be somebody one day.
- After years of playing minor roles in local theatre, she finally became a somebody in Hollywood following her breakout performance.

## Examples

- Somebody left their umbrella in the hallway.
- I heard somebody knocking on the front door late last night, but no one was there when I looked.
- The success of the project depends on somebody taking full responsibility for the final report, yet no one has volunteered for the role.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.