anything/nothing/something like that

anything like that

Similar to or like what has just been said or described. Do you want a soda or anything like that? Whoa, I think you've gotten the wrong idea about tonight—this wasn't supposed to be a date or anything like that! We like to keep things pretty loose in the office, so we don't have a dress code or anything like that.

nothing like that

Very different from what has just been said or described. Mom, it was nothing like that—I didn't break curfew on purpose, I swear. A: "Did you two used to have a thing?" B: "Nothing like that. We were just coworkers."

something like

1. Similar to or like what has just been said or described. In this usage, "that" is used after "something." Do you want a soda or something like that?

2. Approximately or roughly. The phrase is used before an estimated amount or total. If you're expecting something like 50 people, then you better get some more chairs in here.

something like that

Something along those lines; something similar to that. A: "So you work for a dictionary, huh? What do you do, write definitions for them?" B: "Yeah, something like that."

anything/nothing/something like that

anything, etc. of that kind: Do you do aerobics or play tennis, or anything like that? ♢ She’s an expert in the preservation of paper or something like that. ♢ No, there’s nothing like that available yet.

See also: anything, like, nothing, something, that

ˈsomething like that

ˌsomething like ˈsb/ˈsth

similar or partly the same as somebody/something; approximately (a number): ‘Is he a travel agent?’ ‘Yes, something like that.’ ♢ Something like twenty people came to the meeting. OPPOSITE: nothing like