everything

The word “everything” means all the things being talked about or considered as a whole. In plain terms, all of it — the whole set of things, or (figuratively) the one thing that matters most.

“Everything” is pronounced EHV-ree-thihng (/ˈɛv(ə)ɹiˌθɪŋ/ in IPA).

Here is “everything” used in a sentence: “She packed everything into one suitcase.”

Words with a similar meaning to “everything” include all.

The opposite of “everything” — its antonyms — is nothing.

“Everything” is a pronoun.

The word “everything” comes from Middle English. From Middle English every thing, later fused into one word.

“Everything” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

'Everything' is a pronoun meaning all things, and it stands on its own, as in 'everything is ready.' 'All' can stand alone or come before a noun: 'all the food,' 'all is well.' 'Everything' always refers to things in general, while 'all' can point to a specific group. They overlap but aren't always swappable.

The clearest opposite is 'nothing' — not a single thing. 'Something,' meaning at least one thing, sits between the two. On a scale of amount, 'nothing' is empty, 'something' is partial, and 'everything' is the complete total, which makes 'nothing' the true and direct opposite.

Grammatically, 'everything' is singular and takes a singular verb, even though it refers to many things: 'everything is fine,' not 'everything are fine.' The same rule applies to 'anything,' 'something,' and 'nothing' — all take a singular verb despite pointing to a broad or unlimited range of things.

'She packed everything into one bag' means all the items in question. 'Everything happens for a reason' uses it broadly to mean all events. In 'money isn't everything,' it stands for the whole of what matters — showing how 'everything' can name the complete set of things being considered.