ENGLISH
REFERENCE

somewhere

n. place
A2 Elementary Oxford US //ˈsəmˌwɛɹ// UK //sˈʌmweə// some·where General-service Informal

n. in or to a place that you do not know exactly. You use it when the specific location is not important or is unknown.

n. at, in, or to an unspecified or unknown location. Often functions as a pro-form for a place name or a prepositional phrase.


SIMPLE

I left my keys somewhere in the kitchen.

CONTEXTUAL

We should go somewhere quiet where we can talk without being interrupted by the crowd.

COMPLEX

The missing documents must be located somewhere within the archives, though the lack of a proper filing system makes the search nearly impossible.

Synonyms
Origin

From some + where.

Usage

Typically follows the verb or the object. In negative sentences, 'anywhere' is usually preferred over 'somewhere'.

Pitfall

I don't have somewhere to stay.I don't have anywhere to stay.In negative statements, 'anywhere' is the standard choice for an unspecified location.

Idioms4 entries

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