No
No (det) means not any; none at all. Example: “There is no milk left in the fridge.”
How to Use No
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe basic word for refusal, denial, or "not any."
Don't confuse with "know" — they're homophones but completely unrelated in meaning.
Word Forms
noed past tense, noes plural, nos plural, noes singular
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
There is _____ milk left in the fridge.
Etymology
From Old English nān ("none, not any"), the same root that gives us "none," reduced over time before consonants.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related Words
Rhymes for No
See all rhymes for No →Frequently Asked Questions
What does “No” mean?
The word “No” means not any; none at all. In plain terms, the basic word for refusal, denial, or "not any.".
How do you pronounce “No”?
“No” is pronounced noh (/noʊ/ in IPA).
How do you use “No” in a sentence?
Here is “No” used in a sentence: “There is no milk left in the fridge.”
What is another word for “No”?
Words with a similar meaning to “No” include I'm good, ixnay, nay, nah, naw and nope.
What is the opposite of “No”?
The opposite of “No” — its antonyms — are yes, aye and yea.
What part of speech is “No”?
Depending on how it is used, “No” can be a det, an adverb, a particle and a noun.
Where does the word “No” come from?
The word “No” comes from Old English. From Old English nān ("none, not any"), the same root that gives us "none," reduced over time before consonants.
Is “No” a common word?
“No” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
What is the difference between "no" and "not"?
"No" works directly before a noun to mean "not any" ("no time," "no money"), while "not" negates verbs, adjectives, and adverbs ("it is not ready"). You can often say the same thing either way: "There's no coffee" equals "There isn't any coffee".
What is the difference between "no" and "none"?
"No" must be followed by a noun ("no tickets remain"), while "none" stands alone as a pronoun ("none remain"). "None" also frequently pairs with "of": "none of the tickets".
Is a double negative like "don't have no" correct?
In standard English, "I don't have no money" is considered incorrect because "not" and "no" both negate; the standard forms are "I don't have any money" or "I have no money." Double negatives are a long-standing feature of some dialects, but they are avoided in formal writing.
Do you put a comma after "no" at the start of a sentence?
Yes — when "no" answers a question or reacts to a statement, it is followed by a comma: "No, I haven't seen it." Without the comma, "no" reads as a determiner attached to the next noun, as in "No students attended".