Nothing
/ˈnʌθɪŋ/
Definitions
3 meaningsThe absence of anything; not anything.
/ˈnʌθɪŋ/
Absence of anything
I have nothing to say.
💡 Simply: Imagine you look in your backpack and there's... well, nothing! It means there isn't anything there.
👶 For kids: When there's no thing, that means nothing is there.
More Examples
The store had nothing left in stock.
After the crash, there was nothing left of the car.
How It's Used
"There is nothing in the box."
"The concept of nothing is a complex topic in metaphysics."
Something of no significance or importance.
/ˈnʌθɪŋ/
Something of no importance
It was nothing serious.
💡 Simply: It's like when your friend is talking about the smallest thing and you say 'it's nothing!', meaning it's not a big deal.
👶 For kids: If it doesn't matter, it's nothing.
More Examples
Don't worry, it's nothing.
The argument was over nothing.
How It's Used
"That's nothing to worry about."
Not at all.
/ˈnʌθɪŋ/
Not at all
He is nothing if not ambitious.
💡 Simply: It's like saying that you have 'nothing' to complain about, or someone is 'nothing' but helpful
👶 For kids: Not at all.
More Examples
She’s nothing if not direct.
How It's Used
"He's nothing if not persistent."
Idioms & expressions
nothing doing
No, definitely not; an emphatic refusal.
"I asked my parents if I could stay out all night, but it was nothing doing."
come to nothing
To fail or have no successful result.
"All their hard work came to nothing because of the weather."
From Old English nā þing (“no thing”), a combination of nā (“no”) and þing (“thing”).
Used similarly to its modern meaning in Middle English and Old English texts.
Memory tip
Think of an empty space - it contains nothing.
Practice
Word Origin
Root: nā þing