Synonyms

no-no

American

[noh-noh] / ˈnoʊˌnoʊ /

noun

Informal.

plural

no-nos, no-no's

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.

Etymology

Origin of no-no

1940–45, reduplication of no ¹

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.

“Natural light is the best. I can’t do a dark house. The no-no of no-nos is bad floor plan and flow, and not enough natural light.”

From MarketWatch

“The thing not to do? Don’t be insipid. A little jack lantern on the table — that’s not much of a Halloween gesture. I think you have to sort of go all out,” Stewart told Vogue last year when asked about her biggest Halloween no-no.

From Salon

Telling shoppers their goods are only worth a fraction of what they originally paid for them is also a no-no for brands.

From The Wall Street Journal

Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Bennett and Brad Marchand, a trade deadline acquisition, throw insults in the face-off circle and make not-so-accidental contact with rival goalies—a serious no-no in hockey’s unwritten code.

From The Wall Street Journal

Justin Rose was unhappy that Bryson DeChambeau’s caddie strayed too close when he was ready to putt on the 15th green - another no-no in golfing circles - leading to an exchange of words which also involved Rose's playing partner Tommy Fleetwood and his and Scottie Scheffler's caddies.

From BBC

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