no-go

American

[noh-goh] / ˈnoʊˈgoʊ /

Or no go

adjective

Informal.

not authorized or approved to proceed; canceled or aborted.

The Tuesday space launch is no-go.
not ready to go or proceed.
not functioning properly; inoperative.

The ticket machine was no-go.
(of an area) having restricted entry.

hazardous no-go zones.

noun

Informal.

a plan or idea that is canceled, rejected, or otherwise fails to be realized.

We asked to borrow the car, but that was a no-go, so we’ll have to take the bus.

no go Idioms

see no dice.

Etymology

Origin of no-go

First recorded in 1865–70

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.

For Aimee Ludgate, 29, from Bradford, using an oven or hob in this heat is a no-go.

From BBC • Jun. 25, 2026

Then up to 30 million gallons a day of Tijuana waste turned its legendary beaches into a no-go zone.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026

But even utopia has its no-go zones, apparently.

From BBC • May 1, 2026

The Strait of Hormuz was still a no-go zone for most ships on Wednesday, the day after Iran agreed to a cease-fire that will allow marine traffic to resume.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

He turned again and jogged toward the other collapsed stairwell that Tad already knew was a no-go as far as an escape route.

From "Time Bomb" by Joelle Charbonneau

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023