anonymous

adjective

anon·​y·​mous ə-ˈnä-nə-məs 

1

: of unknown authorship or origin

an anonymous tip

2

: not named or identified

an anonymous author

They wish to remain anonymous.

3

: lacking individuality, distinction, or recognizability

the anonymous faces in the crowd

… the gray anonymous streets …

—William Styron

anonymousness noun

Synonyms

• certain
• given
• one
• some
• unidentified
• unnamed
• unspecified

Examples of anonymous in a Sentence

The donor wishes to remain anonymous.

An anonymous buyer purchased the painting.

The college received an anonymous gift.

He made an anonymous phone call to the police.

The reporter got an anonymous tip.

His was just another anonymous face in the crowd.

Recent Examples on the Web

Anyone who may have more information about the case is asked to contact the anonymous tips hotline at 816-474-8477. —Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 8 Mar. 2025

Its existence first went public in March 1971, when a group of anonymous activists broke into an FBI office in Pennsylvania and released files to the media. —Jessica Sager, People.com, 8 Mar. 2025

The campy, anonymous music on Netflix’s hit reality dating show is being replaced with hits from pop stars like Billie Eilish, Selena Gomez, and Ariana Grande. —Clover Hope, Pitchfork, 7 Mar. 2025

An anonymous tip led authorities from the Harris County Precinct 1 Constable’s Office to the garage on March 5, according to a Facebook post. —Rhiannon Saegert, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin anōnymos, anōnymus "lacking a name" (borrowed from Greek anṓnymos "lacking a name, unnamed, not well-known or remembered," from an- an- + -ōnymos, derivative in adjectival compounds of ónoma, Doric and Aeolic dialects ónyma "name") + -ous — more at name entry 1

First Known Use

1625, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for anonymous

• autonomous
• economise
• eponymous
• synonymous

Kids Definition

anonymous

adjective

anon·​y·​mous ə-ˈnän-ə-məs 

1

: not named or identified

the donor remained anonymous

2

: made or done by someone unknown

anonymous gifts

an anonymous poem

anonymously adverb

anonymousness noun

Etymology

from Latin anonymus "anonymous," from Greek anonymos (same meaning), from an-, a- "not, without" and onyma, onoma "name" — related to synonymous