What does "nothing" mean?
Something trifling, or of no consequence or importance.
Nothing
/ˈnʌθɪŋ/ adj, adv, intj, noun, pron
adj, adv, intj, noun, pron ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Something trifling, or of no consequence or importance.
- Grammar: nothing is listed as adj, adv, intj, noun, pron.
- Nearest alternatives: a little thing, a nobody, a nothing, absolutely none.
- Useful contrasts: fifty, whatsoever, any.
- Usage evidence: Nothing is beautiful but the truth.
How to use "nothing"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "nothing" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "nothing" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "nothing" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "nothing" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "nothing" is acting as adj, adv, intj, noun, pron in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "a little thing" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "nothing", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Something trifling, or of no consequence or importance. countable, uncountable
"- What happened to your face? - It's nothing."
- 2 a quantity of no importance; thing (object:), singular, negative pronoun; pronoun, thing, singular; quantifier: negative existential wordnet
- 3 A trivial remark especially in the term sweet nothings. countable, uncountable
- 4 A nobody (insignificant person). countable, uncountable
Adjective
- 1 Completely unimportant. not-comparable
"Dallas scored on what had seemed until then like a nothing play."
- 2 Lacking effort or commitment. not-comparable
"The cricketer played a nothing shot."
Adverb
- 1 Not at all; in no way. archaic, not-comparable
"Nothing too much out of the ordinary."
Adverb
- 1 in no respect; to no degree wordnet
Pronoun
- 1 Not any thing; no thing. indefinite, pronoun
"Don't just say nothing. Tell me what's going on."
- 2 An absence of anything, including empty space, brightness, darkness, matter, or a vacuum. indefinite, pronoun
Intj
- 1 Never mind; it's not important; forget what I said.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Nothing is beautiful but the truth."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "nothing"?
Common synonyms include: a little thing, a nobody, a nothing, absolutely none, anything, aught.
How do you use "nothing" in a sentence?
Nothing is beautiful but the truth.
How do you pronounce "nothing"?
Pronounced /ˈnʌθɪŋ/.
Etymology
From Middle English nothyng, noon thing, non thing, na þing, nan thing, nan þing, from Old English nāþing, nān þing (“nothing”, literally “not any thing”), equivalent to no + thing. Compare Old English nāwiht (“nothing”, literally “no thing”), Swedish ingenting (“nothing”, literally “not any thing, no thing”).