No
noh
No (det) means not any; none at all. Example: “There is no milk left in the fridge.”
det
1
Not any; none at all.
"There is no milk left in the fridge."
"She has no time for excuses."
adv
1
Not at all — used before comparatives like "more" or "less," or certain adjectives.
"The service was no better than before."
particle
1
Used alone to show disagreement, refusal, or denial.
""Can I borrow the car?" "No.""
noun
1
A negative answer, or a vote against a proposal.
"The motion failed by twelve votes to eight noes."
How to use No
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe basic word for refusal, denial, or "not any."
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "know" — they're homophones but completely unrelated in meaning.
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Word forms
- Plural
- noes, nos
- Third person singular
- noes
- Past tense
- noed
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
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".
Example sentences
Real-world examples showing No in context, drawn from published sources. Any opinions expressed are those of the original source and do not reflect the views of FreeDict.com.
There's no doubt that if the area is declared a Unesco world heritage site it will help contribute to the mountain's protection.
From
The Guardian · Jul 25, 2026
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