do anything

idiom

1
: to take an action that is considered wrong or suspicious or of particular interest
If he does anything, let me know.
often used in negative statements
"Why is she mad?" "I don't know. I didn't do anything."
2
: to be occupied with something
I need to start dinner, but I can't do anything until you get out of the way.
If you're not doing anything this evening, why not come over for dinner?

Examples of do anything in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In contrast, the court cannot order anyone in El Salvador to do anything. Noah Feldman, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2025 The fiery press conference was in many ways a rebuttal to numerous Trump administration claims, with Van Hollen directly pleading for Abrego Garcia’s release and accusing the Trump administration of violating a Supreme Court order by failing to do anything to facilitate his return. Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill, 16 Apr. 2025 Meanwhile, the rebellious young Jim Hopper, the son of the town police chief, can’t seem to do anything right; the spunky Joyce Maldonado just wants to graduate and leave town, stat (but still has a thing for bad boys); and the tech nerd Bob is hopelessly in love with her. Sarah Bahr, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025 Someone with a more physically demanding job would certainly need an extended timeline, given that patients are not supposed to lift anything heavier than five pounds for the first two weeks of healing and aren’t supposed to do anything strenuous for at least a month. Nicola Dall'asen, Allure, 7 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for do anything

Cite this Entry

“Do anything.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/do%20anything. Accessed 26 Apr. 2025.

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