naught

or nought

[ nawt ]

/ nɔt /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR naught ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

nothing.

a cipher (0); zero.

adjective

lost; ruined.

Archaic. worthless; useless.

Obsolete. morally bad; wicked.

adverb

Obsolete. not.

Words nearby naught

nau, nauch, naucratis, naugahyde, naugatuck, naught, naughty, naughty nineties, naughty step, naumachia, naumachy

Idioms for naught

come to naught, to come to nothing; be without result or fruition; fail.

set at naught, to regard or treat as of no importance; disdain: He entered a milieu that set his ideals at naught.

Origin of naught

before 900; Middle English; Old English nauht, nāwiht (nā no¹ + wiht thing). See nought, wight¹, whit

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH naught

naught nought

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Examples from the Web for naught

According to Farmaner, the reforms of 2011 have largely come to naught.
Myanmar’s Free Burma Rangers Are Like Doctors Without Borders…With Guns|James Griffiths|April 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But moments later there was a twist, and with it the fear that the prayers had been for naught.
Colleen Ritzer Is the Second U.S. Math Teacher Slain in Two Days|Michael Daly|October 24, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Venus' Epic Fight, for Naught Long gone are the days when Venus Williams dominated tennis, but she sure still gives it her all.
U.S. Open’s Delicious Week One: Serena and Sloane, Rafa and Roger, and More|Nicholas McCarvel|September 1, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Hoping that his hi-tech marketing wiles will not go for naught, Bennett will now try to torpedo the prize ceremony.
The Game Show of Israeli Politics|Don Futterman|August 2, 2013|DAILY BEAST

In the end, all the praise and support from the international community was for naught.
Why Palestinians Welcomed Fayyad’s Resignation|Maysoon Zayid|April 16, 2013|DAILY BEAST
"He will be so glad to see you back that I'm sure he will think of naught else," assured Alvin.
The Launch Boys' Cruise in the Deerfoot|Edward S. Ellis
For perhaps the first time in his life the war-chief found himself set at naught.
The Bridge of the Gods|Frederic Homer Balch
Naught save misery and despair could come to him from so faithless a woman.
Joshua, Complete|Georg Ebers
Night-blooming lilies, when the moon is hidden, Have naught but memories of beauty left.
Translations of Shakuntala and Other Works|Kalidasa
We have naught to smash his boat with, but we'll just take it along with us.
Blackbeard: Buccaneer|Ralph D. Paine

British Dictionary definitions for naught

naught

/ (nɔːt) /

noun

archaic, or literary nothing or nothingness; ruin or failure

a variant spelling (esp US) of nought

set at naught to have disregard or scorn for; disdain

adverb

archaic, or literary not at allit matters naught

adjective

obsolete worthless, ruined, or wicked

Word Origin for naught

Old English nāwiht, from nā no 1 + wiht thing, person; see wight 1, whit

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with naught

naught

see come to nothing (naught).

naught

or nought

noun

adjective

adverb

Words related to naught

Words nearby naught

Idioms for naught

Origin of naught

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH naught

Examples from the Web for naught

British Dictionary definitions for naught

noun

adverb

adjective

Word Origin for naught

Idioms and Phrases with naught