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

Her production of “Ragtime,” with its sumptuous score by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, had nary a weak link in a cast of characters among the most expansive in the recent annals of musicals.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 26, 2025

On Saturday at the opening night of her Forum stand, Lipa — herself a British-Albanian-Kosovar atelier of sophisticated, structurally flawless disco-pop — played for nearly three hours with nary a sweat broken.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 5, 2025

Some pestos throughout Italy also lean more toward a romesco-style sauce, using tomatoes or roasted peppers with nary a green in sight.

From Salon • Apr. 25, 2025

Indeed, there’s nary a media space that Khanna appears not to have visited.

From Slate • Jun. 20, 2024

Masha Heddle was fatter and greyer than Catelyn remembered, still chewing her sourleaf, but she gave them only the most cursory of looks, with nary a hint of her ghastly red smile.

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin