no-no

American  

[noh-noh] / ˈnoʊˌnoʊ /

noun

Informal.

no-nos, plural no-no's plural

1. anything that is forbidden or not advisable, as because of being improper or unsafe.

   If you want to lose weight, rich desserts are a no-no.

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• no-no's
  plural
• no-nos
  plural

Etymology

Origin of no-no

1940–45, reduplication of no ¹

Example Sentences

“No, no, no, please, president,” Trump said in a mocking tone imitating her voice.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

My strong conviction, at least for Amazon, is that the answers are no, no, and yes,” Jassy writes in a shareholder letter for fiscal year 2025, published Thursday.

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

I said, “No, no, no, no, no, but listen to this one.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

"She was very repetitive, she said 'no, no, no, you cannot do that, we're a small, small country,'" Trump said.

From BBC • Jan. 21, 2026

“Oh, no, no, no, no, no!” he cried, reaching for me.

From "Blended" by Sharon M. Draper

Related Words

• check
• condition
• constraint
• control
• curb
• limit
• regulation
• restraint
• rule
• stipulation
• stricture