If you remain anonymous when you do something, you do not let people know that you were the person who did it.
You can remain anonymous if you wish.
An anonymous benefactor stepped in to provide the prize money.
...anonymous phone calls.
Synonyms: unnamed, unknown, unidentified, nameless More Synonyms of anonymous
anonymity (ænɒnɪmɪti)uncountable noun
Both mother and daughter, who have requested anonymity, are doing fine.
Synonyms: namelessness, innominateness More Synonyms of anonymous
anonymouslyadverb
The latest photographs were sent anonymously to the magazine's headquarters.
2. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
Something that is anonymous does not reveal who you are.
Of course, that would have to be by anonymous vote.
anonymityuncountable noun
He claims many more people would support him in the anonymity of a voting booth.
3. adjective
If you describe a place as anonymous, you dislike it because it has no unusual or interesting features and seems unwelcoming.
[disapproval]
...the most anonymous part of north-west Washington.
It's nice to stay in a home rather than in an anonymous holiday villa.
Synonyms: nondescript, impersonal, faceless, colourless More Synonyms of anonymous
anonymityuncountable noun
...the anonymity of the rented room.
Synonyms: unremarkability or unremarkableness, characterlessness, unsingularity More Synonyms of anonymous
More Synonyms of anonymous
anonymous in British English
(əˈnɒnɪməs)
adjective
1.
from or by a person, author, etc, whose name is unknown or withheld
an anonymous e-mail
2.
having no known name
3.
lacking individual characteristics; unexceptional
4. (often capital)
denoting an organization which provides help to applicants who remain anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous
Derived forms
anonymity (ˌænəˈnɪmɪtɪ)
noun
anonymously (aˈnonymously)
adverb
anonymousness (aˈnonymousness)
noun
Word origin
C17: via Late Latin from Greek anōnumos, from an- + onoma name
anonymous in American English
(əˈnɑnəməs)
adjective
1.
with no name known or acknowledged
2.
given, written, etc. by a person whose name is withheld or unknown
3.
not easily distinguished from others or from one another because of a lack of individual features or character
Derived forms
anonymously (aˈnonymously)
adverb
Word origin
LL anonymus < Gr anōnymos < an-, without + onyma, name
Examples of 'anonymous' in a sentence
anonymous
She remains anonymous because the accountant in question has made her sign a confidentiality agreement.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Do you want to remain anonymous to the charities you are supporting?
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
As profiles can remain anonymous there was no naming and shaming.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The mother, who conceived naturally, wished to remain anonymous.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
One man, who asked to remain anonymous, said two of his brothers had been arrested but he did not know what had happened to them.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
That he was largely anonymous for the rest of the game will be of little concern.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The second part of the name honours an anonymous benefactor of the research team.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The owner can stay anonymous and name an agent to avoid the risk of theft.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
We are not going to get into a commentary on claims from anonymous sources.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The church helpers asked to remain anonymous.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The officers claimed they had received an anonymous phone call.
The Sun (2014)
The most unpleasant aspect of this vetting is the secret file that contains the anonymous letters.
Brian Hoey AT HOME WITH THE QUEEN: The Inside Story of the Royal Household (2002)
They held him for more than five months until an anonymous donor paid his ransom.
Christianity Today (2000)
The auction was won by an anonymous telephone bidder.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
But the striker was largely anonymous last night.
The Sun (2010)
An anonymous benefactor has pledged to match all funds raised.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Anonymous sources told gossip websites that the relationship is serious.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The alert followed an anonymous phone call.
The Sun (2015)
Should we consider known or anonymous donors?
Martin, April The Guide to Lesbian and Gay Parenting (1993)
It was bought by an anonymous bidder.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Police were alerted by an anonymous call.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
There were only two conditions: the owner wishes to stay anonymous.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
They're away from home and it remains anonymous.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Anonymous benefactor offers 20,000 reward for information.
The Sun (2011)
It is also difficult to track individuals, so people can stay anonymous if they want to.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
She wishes to remain anonymous because the said salesman is her brother-in-law.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
In other languages
anonymous
British English: anonymous /əˈnɒnɪməs/ ADJECTIVE
If you remain anonymous when you do something, you do not let people know that you were the person who did it.
You can remain anonymous if you wish.
American English: anonymous
Arabic: غَيْرُ مُسَمَّى
Brazilian Portuguese: anônimo
Chinese: 匿名的
Croatian: anoniman
Czech: anonymní
Danish: anonym
Dutch: anoniem
European Spanish: anónimo
Finnish: anonyymi
French: anonyme
German: anonym
Greek: ανώνυμος
Italian: anonimo
Japanese: 匿名の
Korean: 익명의
Norwegian: anonym
Polish: anonimowy
European Portuguese: anónimo
Romanian: anonim
Russian: безымянный
Latin American Spanish: anónimo
Swedish: anonym
Thai: นิรนาม
Turkish: anonim
Ukrainian: анонімний
Vietnamese: giấu tên
All related terms of 'anonymous'
anonymous buyer
A buyer is a person who is buying something or who intends to buy it.
anonymous letter
If you write a letter to someone, you write a message on paper and send it to them, usually by post .
anonymous source
A source is a person or book that provides information for a news story or for a piece of research.
Gamblers Anonymous
an organization that holds group meetings to help people who are addicted to gambling
Parents Anonymous
(in Britain) an association of local voluntary self-help groups offering help through an anonymous telephone service to parents who fear they will injure their children, or who have other problems in managing their children
Alcoholics Anonymous
an association of alcoholics who try , esp by mutual assistance , to overcome alcoholism
Narcotics Anonymous
an organization that helps drug users recover from drug addiction
Chinese translation of 'anonymous'
anonymous
(əˈnɔnɪməs)
adj
[letter, gift, phone call]匿名的 (nìmíng de)
[person]不知名的 (bùzhīmíng de)
(= boring)[place, clothing]无(無)特色的 (wú tèsè de)
to remain anonymous不留名的 (bù liúmíng de)
1 (adjective)
Definition
having no known name
You can remain anonymous if you wish.
Synonyms
unnamed
The cash comes from an unnamed source.
unknown
Unknown thieves had forced their way into the apartment.
unidentified
based on the comments of anonymous and unidentified sources
nameless
They had their cases rejected by nameless officials.
unacknowledged
incognito
unauthenticated
innominate
Opposites
known
,
named
,
identified
,
acknowledged
,
authenticated
2 (adjective)
Definition
by someone whose name is unknown or withheld
I heard that an anonymous note was actually being circulated.
Synonyms
unsigned
uncredited
unattributed
unattested
Opposites
signed
,
credited
,
attested
,
accredited
3 (adjective)
Definition
lacking distinguishing characteristics
It's nice to stay in a home rather than an anonymous holiday flat.
Synonyms
nondescript
Ted was rather nondescript in both his appearance and intellect.
impersonal
faceless
decisions made by faceless bureaucrats
colourless
He is a drab, colourless little man.
undistinguished
his short and undistinguished career as an art student
unexceptional
a pretty unexceptional bunch of players
characterless
Additional synonyms
in the sense of colourless
Definition
dull and uninteresting
He is a drab, colourless little man.
Synonyms
uninteresting,
dull,
tame,
dreary,
drab,
lacklustre,
vacuous,
insipid,
vapid,
characterless,
unmemorable
in the sense of faceless
Definition
without individual identity or character
decisions made by faceless bureaucrats
Synonyms
impersonal,
remote,
unknown,
unidentified,
anonymous
in the sense of nameless
Definition
without a name
They had their cases rejected by nameless officials.