nothingburger
Americannoun
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an often highly publicized event or situation that is said to have less impact or significance than expected.
The meeting of world leaders turned out to be a big nothingburger.
-
a person of little or no importance; a nothing; a nobody.
She's a minor celebrity—a nothingburger.
Etymology
Origin of nothingburger
First recorded in 1950–55; nothing ( def. ) + burger ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Still, it might be tempting to dismiss the whole thing as a goofy internet nothingburger.
From Slate • Aug. 31, 2025
“This was a nothingburger you will forget,” he said of that debate.
From Seattle Times • Nov. 29, 2023
Often, the hype turned out to be a giant nothingburger.
From Salon • Aug. 12, 2023
“I anticipate this will be a nothingburger with a side of nothing,” he said.
From Washington Times • May 19, 2022
The “invasion” struck me as a nothingburger, but it involves things I don’t know much about.
From Washington Post • Nov. 21, 2018
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
