If almost any millennial hears the word “someBODY…” blaring from a speaker, they can finish the first line of Smash Mouth’s 1999 hit song “All Star”: “Somebody once told me the world is gonna roll me / I ain’t the sharpest tool in the shed.” But what would happen to the song if it started with “someone” instead of “somebody”? The two words have virtually the same meaning and are often used interchangeably. However, “All Star” would not be the same if you changed that first word.
“Someone” is considered the more formal of the two, so it’s preferred in legal and academic writing. This may be one of those language rules you’ve followed without noticing, but give it a try now. The use of “one” as a pronoun is very formal: “One may find that using ‘someone’ is more appropriate in professional settings.”
“Someone” and “somebody” are indefinite pronouns, meaning they refer to a nonspecific or unidentified person. Both should be written as single words — the two-word variants “some one” and “some body” went out of style around the early 19th century. Other indefinite pronouns include “anyone”/”anybody” and “everyone”/”everybody.” As with “someone,” the words “anyone” and “everyone” are also preferred in formal writing.
While “someone” is more formal, “somebody” can be more important. Comedian Lily Tomlin said, “I always wanted to be somebody, but now I realize I should have been more specific.” Here, the use of “somebody” is more specific — it’s used as a noun instead of as an indefinite pronoun. Tomlin was joking that she may have become famous, but she should have specified the type of fame, and her quote illustrates when we might want to choose “somebody” over “someone.” This slight grammatical shift drastically changes the meaning of the word. Instead of an unnamed person, now “somebody” refers to a person of particular importance, fame, or power.
