someone
someone
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "someone" is /ˈsʌm.wʌn/.
First Syllable (/sʌm/):
/s/: voiceless alveolar sibilant
/ʌ/: near-open central unrounded vowel
/m/: voiced bilabial nasal
Second Syllable (/wʌn/):
/w/: voiced labial-velar approximant
/ʌ/: near-open central unrounded vowel
/n/: voiced alveolar nasal
Word Form Variations
"Someone" is an indefinite pronoun and does not have typical singular, plural, or other inflectional variations like nouns or verbs. It always remains "someone."
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Pronoun
Definition 1: An unspecified or unknown person; any person at all.
Synonyms: somebody, an individual, a person, anyone (in some contexts)
Antonyms: nobody, no one
Example: Someone left the door open.
Definition 2: A person of importance or distinction. (Often used informally or colloquially.)
Synonyms: a VIP, an important person, a notable, a bigwig (informal)
Antonyms: a nobody, an unimportant person, a nonentity
Example: After all his hard work, he's finally become someone in the company.
Examples of Use
Books: "Someone to Run With" (David Grossman, published 2000) is the title of a novel, illustrating "someone" as an unspecified individual with whom a relationship or shared experience is sought.
Newspapers: "Police are looking for someone who may have witnessed the accident on Main Street." (Local community newspaper)
Online Publications: "It often takes someone with an outside perspective to identify a company's blind spots." (Forbes.com)
Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: In the movie Pretty Woman (1990), Julia Roberts' character famously says, "I want someone to love me."
Music: The song "Someone Like You" by Adele (released 2011) uses "someone" to refer to a specific individual who has moved on from a relationship.
Television Series: "There's someone at the door," is a common line heard in many sitcoms and dramas (e.g., Friends, original run 1994-2004).
Video Games: In role-playing games, a non-player character might say, "I need someone to help me retrieve a lost artifact," prompting the player to undertake a quest.
General Public Discourse:
"Could someone please pass the salt?" (Common request at a dinner table)
"Someone told me the new restaurant is excellent." (Casual conversation)
"If someone needs help, they should ask for it." (General advice)
"There's always someone who disagrees, no matter the topic." (Observation on differing opinions)
10 Quotes Using Someone
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage." (Lao Tzu)
"Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago." (Warren Buffett)
"When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time." (Maya Angelou)
"Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned." (Buddha)
"Never deprive someone of hope; it might be all they have." (H. Jackson Brown, Jr.)
"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life." (Steve Jobs)
"Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down." (Oprah Winfrey)
"We can't help everyone, but everyone can help someone." (Ronald Reagan)
"The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good." (Samuel Johnson)
"If you love someone, set them free. If they come back they're yours; if they don't they never were." (Richard Bach)
Etymology
The word "someone" is actually quite straightforward in its origin! It's a combination of two older English words: "some" and "one."
Think of it like this:
"Some" originally meant "a certain" or "a certain indefinite quantity."
"One" referred to a single person or individual.
So, when you put "some" and "one" together, you get "someone," meaning "a certain, but unspecified, person."
The earliest known uses of "someone" date back to the Middle English period (around 1300 AD). At that time, it was often written as two separate words, like "sum on" or "sum one." Its meaning was the same as it is today: to refer to an unknown or unspecified individual. It's essentially a way to talk about a person without having to name them or know exactly who they are.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Someone
Someone's got to do it. (Meaning, a task needs to be done and an unspecified person is required to do it.)
Someone's loss is someone else's gain. (Meaning, one person's misfortune or failure benefits another.)
To be someone's cup of tea. (Meaning, to be something that someone likes or finds appealing.)
To be someone's main squeeze. (Informal: Meaning, to be someone's primary romantic partner.)
To have someone's back. (Meaning, to support or defend someone.)
To put someone on the spot. (Meaning, to put someone in a difficult position where they have to make a decision or answer a question immediately.)
To pull someone's leg. (Meaning, to tease or joke with someone.)
To rub someone the wrong way. (Meaning, to annoy or irritate someone.)
To get under someone's skin. (Meaning, to bother or annoy someone, often persistently.)
To give someone the cold shoulder. (Meaning, to act unfriendly towards someone.)
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of someone from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
