someplace

IPA/ˈsʌmpleɪs/
KK[sˈʌmplˌes]IPA/ˈsʌmpleɪs/

someplace — adverb

1. used for talking about a place when you do not say exactly which place you mean

1.adverbB1
Definition

used for talking about a place when you do not say exactly which place you mean — for example, when the exact name does not matter or you cannot remember it.

Example

Beatriz found her keys someplace in the living room.

someplace + [prepositional phrase] after verb of finding

We should meet someplace quiet where we can talk.

someplace + [adjective] + relative clause

Common collocations
  • someplace else
  • someplace new
  • someplace warm
  • someplace quiet
  • someplace safe
Synonyms
  • somewhere

    the standard equivalent; neutral register, used in all varieties of English

  • anyplace

    even more informal than 'someplace'; primarily American

Antonyms
  • nowhere

    opposite meaning — not in or at any place

Usage Note

Chiefly used in informal American English. In more formal or British writing, 'somewhere' is preferred. 'Someplace' can be used before an adjective (someplace warm, someplace safe) or a prepositional phrase (someplace in the house).

Common Mistakes

I left it someplace in the kitchen.
I left it somewhere in the kitchen.
'somewhere' is more common in formal and British English; 'someplace' sounds informal and American.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

All three words refer to an unspecified place, but they differ in register and variety. 'Somewhere' is the neutral, standard choice used in both American and British English, in formal writing and casual speech. 'Someplace' (American, informal) carries a slightly more conversational tone and is common in everyday spoken American English but rare in British English. 'Anyplace' is even more casual than 'someplace' and often interchangeable with it, though it sometimes carries a hint of 'no matter which place.' In questions and negatives, 'anywhere' is the expected form ('Is there anywhere to sit?'), where 'someplace' would sound marked. For learners, 'somewhere' is the safest default; use 'someplace' in casual American conversation for a natural feel.

somewhere ↗anyplace ↗anywhere ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • someplace else
  • someplace new
  • someplace warm
  • someplace cold
  • someplace quiet
  • someplace safe
  • someplace nice

Etymology

EnglishAmerican English

Formed by combining 'some' (an unspecified amount or thing) with 'place' (a location), modelled on the earlier word 'somewhere.' First recorded in the mid-1800s in American English, where it remains most common today.