an area between opposing armies, over which no control has been established.
an unowned or unclaimed tract of usually barren land.
an indefinite or ambiguous area where guidelines and authority are not clear.
a no man's land between acceptance and rejection.
(in tennis, handball, etc.) the area of a court in which a player is at a tactical disadvantage, as the area of a tennis court about midway between the net and the base line.
land between boundaries, esp an unoccupied zone between opposing forces
an unowned or unclaimed piece of land
an ambiguous area of activity or thought
Middle English word dating back to 1300–50
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Research for “The Hidden Nations of Animals” took Mr. Huling to some far-flung locations, including the accidental nature sanctuary that’s arisen in the no man’s land between North and South Korea.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 19, 2026
Vlasic then drove the knife in deeper still 20 minutes from time with a cushioned volley to beat goalkeeper Mathias Lamhauge, who had strayed into no man's land.
From Barron's • Nov. 14, 2025
The area between the two bunkers is referred to as the "front line", "buffer zone" or "no man's land".
From BBC • Sep. 19, 2023
"When the state isn't there, it creates a no man's land where anything can happen," says prosecutor Eliane Moreira.
From BBC • Aug. 7, 2023
He sang softly under his breath, “There’s a rose that grows in no man’s land and ’tis wonderful to see—” On Friday Cal brooded the whole day long.
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
