no-brainer

American  

[noh-brey-ner] / ˈnoʊˈbreɪ nər /

noun

1. Informal. anything requiring little thought or effort; something easy or simple to understand or do.

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no-brainer British  

/ ˌnəʊˈbreɪnə /

noun

1. slang something which requires little or no mental effort

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no-brainer Cultural  

1. Something that is absurdly simple or easy and requires little thought: “Making pumpkin pie can be a no-brainer if you use frozen pastry and canned filling.”

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Etymology

Origin of no-brainer

First recorded in 1975–80

Explanation

An obvious conclusion or an easy decision is a no-brainer. Adding 2 + 2 is a no-brainer, and so is the decision to accept a generous scholarship. The informal no-brainer describes choices that are so clear they're hardly even choices: they require almost no thought, since one alternative is obviously better. Saying yes to the the prize of a trip for four to Disney World is a no-brainer, and when you're shopping for a new laptop, buying the one with more memory that's less expensive is a no-brainer. No-brainer stems from the idea that it doesn't take brains to make a decision so simple.

Example Sentences

Unless there’s a separate goal, the QCD-only approach seems like a no-brainer.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 8, 2026

She says they are a very "outdoorsy and creative family" and so restricting screen time was a "no-brainer".

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

A war that threatens to stoke inflation sounds like a no-brainer for gold.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 23, 2026

If this were Beijing, New Delhi or Hanoi, it would be a no-brainer.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 20, 2026

That evolution should select for larger brains may seem to us like, well, a no-brainer.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari

Related Words

• cakewalk
• cinch