An object whose nature is yet to be defined.
"The glowing shape on the horizon was something, but no one could say exactly what it was."
In plain English: Something is an unspecified thing that you are talking about but don't need to name right now.
"There is something in this soup that tastes like garlic but I don't see any cloves."
Applied to an action whose name is forgotten by, unknown or unimportant to the user, e.g. from words of a song.
"I tried to hum the chorus but couldn't remember the name of that something I was singing."
In plain English: Nothing, because "something" is not a verb and cannot be used as one.
"Something was left behind in the car trunk."
Usage: Use this verb only when you cannot recall or do not know the specific term for an action that has just occurred, such as humming a tune without remembering its lyrics. It functions similarly to "to hum" but emphasizes the lack of conscious knowledge regarding what is being performed rather than describing the sound itself.
Having a characteristic that the speaker cannot specify.
"I'm not sure what exactly is making me feel so tired, but it's definitely something about my new job schedule."
In plain English: Something is not used as an adjective; it is a word you use to talk about an unspecified thing or person.
Somewhat; to a degree.
"The movie was something interesting, but it dragged on too long in the middle."
"He didn't say something about the meeting tomorrow."
An uncertain or unspecified thing; one thing.
"I don't know exactly what I want for dinner, but something will definitely sound good tonight."
The word "something" comes from Middle English somþyng, which was formed by combining the words for "some" and "thing." It entered modern usage directly from Old English with this same literal meaning of an unspecified object.