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no-go area

British  

noun

  1. a district in a town that is barricaded off, usually by a paramilitary organization, within which the police, army, etc, can only enter by force

  2. an area that is barred to certain individuals, groups, etc

"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

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.

See Examples For:

Still, the notice, which came with a map of a rectangular no-go area in the middle of the waterway, circulated widely between sailors.

From The Wall Street Journal Apr. 12, 2026

Community leader Oriyomi Akeem said Slum Party has helped bring peace to a neighbourhood once known as a no-go area overrun by gangs.

From Reuters Dec. 27, 2022

Comuna 13 was largely a no-go area for police during the 1990s and early 2000s, when it was Colombia’s largest urban rebel stronghold.

From Los Angeles Times Oct. 10, 2022

Others say it should be seen as a "no-go" area, yet it still happens.

From BBC Jan. 28, 2022

Such policies have today left much of middle Egypt a no-go area for unescorted Westerners.

From "Circumference" by Nicholas Nicastro

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