everything
A1Neutral to informal; universally common in all registers.
Definition
Meaning
All things, every object, situation, or fact that exists or is relevant in a given context.
The most important thing or person in someone's life; the totality of a situation.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Used as a singular indefinite pronoun. Can refer to all items in a group, all aspects of a situation, or all things in existence. In existential contexts ("everything is..."), it is treated as singular. Can be used hyperbolically.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant grammatical or semantic differences. Minor potential spelling differences in accompanying words (e.g., 'organisation' vs. 'organization').
Connotations
Identical connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[subject] + [verb] + everythingeverything + [auxiliary verb] + [verb][verb] + everything + [prepositional phrase]everything + [adjective]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “everything but the kitchen sink”
- “everything under the sun”
- “everything's coming up roses”
- “hold everything!”
- “be everything to someone”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
"We need to ensure everything is ready for the product launch." Often used in project management contexts.
Academic
"The theory attempts to explain everything within its framework." Used in philosophical or theoretical discussions.
Everyday
"I've told you everything I know." Extremely common in daily conversation.
Technical
Rare in highly technical jargon, but appears in computing (e.g., 'everything is an object' in some programming paradigms).
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Everything is on the table.
- I like everything about my school.
- She knows everything.
- We have discussed everything important for the trip.
- Can you check if everything is in the car boot?
- He lost everything in the flood.
- Despite the initial chaos, everything fell into place perfectly.
- The documentary covers everything from habitat loss to conservation efforts.
- It seems as though everything that could go wrong has gone wrong.
- Her research aims to synthesize everything currently known about the phenomenon.
- In his worldview, everything is interconnected and nothing happens in isolation.
- The contract leaves virtually everything to the discretion of the managing director.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of EVERY + THING. It combines the idea of 'every' (each one) with 'thing' (an object/idea). It's literally 'every single thing'.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE WORLD IS A CONTAINER ("everything in the world"). IMPORTANCE IS SIZE/QUANTITY ("she means everything to me").
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using the plural verb form (e.g., 'everything are'). In Russian, 'всё' is singular, but learners may be influenced by the plural 'things' within the English word.
- Do not confuse with 'all' in structures like 'all people' vs 'everything for people'.
- In existential sentences, remember the singular verb: 'Everything is fine' (Всё хорошо), not 'Everything are fine'.
Common Mistakes
- Using a plural verb (e.g., 'Everything are...').
- Confusing 'everything' with 'every thing' (two words, which is rare and emphasises individual items).
- Misspelling as 'everythings' (it is never pluralised).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following sentences uses 'everything' correctly?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Always singular. It takes a singular verb: 'Everything is ready.'
'Everything' refers to all things collectively, often as a single concept. 'All' is more distributive and is often followed by a determiner and noun (e.g., 'all the people', 'all my money'). You cannot say 'all is fine' in the same generic sense as 'everything is fine' without context.
No, 'everything of' is incorrect. Use 'everything about' or 'all of'. Incorrect: 'everything of the plan'. Correct: 'everything about the plan' or 'all of the plan'.
Extremely rare. It is used for poetic or emphatic effect to stress the individuality of items (e.g., 'She treasured every single thing he gave her'). In 99.9% of cases, use the one-word form 'everything'.