no-nonsense
Americanadjective
-
not tolerating anything frivolous or trifling; firm and businesslike.
a no-nonsense approach to money matters; a no-nonsense teacher with well-behaved classes.
- Synonyms:
- purposeful, resolute, diligent, earnest
-
economical or utilitarian; practical.
a no-nonsense car that gets excellent gas mileage.
-
plain and simple; not fancy, complicated, or elegant.
no-nonsense recipes for easy preparation.
adjective
Etymology
Origin of no-nonsense
First recorded in 1925–30
Explanation
Someone who's no-nonsense is very efficient and businesslike. If you're extremely practical and don't see the point of wasting time, you're no-nonsense. Some teachers like to joke around with students, while others are much stricter than that — they are stern and no-nonsense. A brand new English teacher might resolve to start using more no-nonsense techniques in the classroom if he realizes his class isn't getting quite enough accomplished. The adjective no-nonsense was first used in 1920s sporting slang, originally in the phrase "to stand to no nonsense."
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.
No nonsense, a tap of the power switch.
From Salon • Nov. 8, 2025
“Then he asked a simple question: Does Bibi support Netanyahu’s proposal? Yes or no. No nonsense and hot air.”
From New York Times • Jun. 2, 2024
No nonsense on the hill, Gibson nailed 102 batters in 17 years — not like every guy he faced was hitting the dirt.
From Seattle Times • Oct. 3, 2020
No nonsense there about "multiculturalism" and the recognition of multiple languages within the polity, as one finds, for example, in Canada or in what is often called the world's largest democracy, India.
From Slate • Nov. 24, 2015
No nonsense now; do you think we can't prove it?
From The Black Cross by Briggs, Olive M.
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.
