nary a

Idioms  

1. Not one, as in There's nary a mention of taxes in that speech, or Nary an officer could be seen. This archaic-sounding contraction of “never a” remains in current use. [Mid-1700s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

nary a

The finished dessert was a cake baked to perfection, with nary a crack, dome or sunken center in sight.

From Salon ● Jun. 14, 2026

It was a boat ride for the history books, with nary a sailor in sight.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026

And though nary a ghost has been sighted — yet — that doesn’t mean I haven’t gotten all the proof I’ve been looking for.

From Salon ● Oct. 31, 2025

On the other end of those passes is quarterback Justin Herbert, who has elite talent but has yet to achieve elite results, with nary a playoff victory to his name.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2024

Cassiopeia proved it by using her fingers to do sums on her abacus, and flicked the beads up and down with nary a wince.

From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood