diddly
Americannoun
-
a thing of little or no value; naught.
Your excuses aren't worth diddly to me.
-
a flaw; malfunction.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of diddly
Perhaps euphemistic shortening of diddlyshit
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.
“And let’s face it, we were making diddly in the past because the business was on its knees.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 10, 2026
“That wonderful résumé that you have means diddly squat when that whistle blows in CONCACAF. It’s the great equalizer.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2021
Wilson is already commanding MVP buzz, which means diddly squat in September, but the changes to Seattle’s offense are real and spectacular, and this team looks like a bona fide Super Bowl contender.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 28, 2020
“I’ve been here 50 years and never heard diddly about it,” the mayor said.
From Washington Times ● Sep. 2, 2017
They head down the mountain, back to base camp, and when they get there they don’t say diddly.
From "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien
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.
