no-nonsense
Americanadjective
-
not tolerating anything frivolous or trifling; firm and businesslike.
a no-nonsense approach to money matters; a no-nonsense teacher with well-behaved classes.
- Synonyms:
- purposeful, resolute, diligent, earnest
-
economical or utilitarian; practical.
a no-nonsense car that gets excellent gas mileage.
-
plain and simple; not fancy, complicated, or elegant.
no-nonsense recipes for easy preparation.
adjective
Etymology
Origin of no-nonsense
First recorded in 1925–30
Explanation
Someone who's no-nonsense is very efficient and businesslike. If you're extremely practical and don't see the point of wasting time, you're no-nonsense. Some teachers like to joke around with students, while others are much stricter than that — they are stern and no-nonsense. A brand new English teacher might resolve to start using more no-nonsense techniques in the classroom if he realizes his class isn't getting quite enough accomplished. The adjective no-nonsense was first used in 1920s sporting slang, originally in the phrase "to stand to no nonsense."
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.
Davey Lopes, the no-nonsense, base-swiping second baseman on a historic Dodgers infield that played together for a record 8½ seasons, died Wednesday at age 80, the Dodgers announced.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026
In a federal courthouse in Los Angeles last spring, Judge Otis Wright II, a no-nonsense former Marine, was baffled by what he was hearing from the prosecutor before him.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026
But the potential upside was that her no-nonsense approach would prove a welcome contrast, particularly as the party had announced that the focus of her address would be affordability.
From Salon • Feb. 25, 2026
The no-nonsense police statement is a bluntly worded news earthquake: "The man remains in police custody at this time."
From BBC • Feb. 19, 2026
She’s very no-nonsense, and she wants results fast.
From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles
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.
