nothing if not

Idioms  

1. Above all else, as in He was nothing if not discreet. Shakespeare used this idiom in Othello (2:1): “I am nothing if not critical.” [c. 1600]

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Example Sentences

From menstruation mishaps to a meditation on old age, and the challenges faced by Arab-Israelis in the aftermath of the Hamas attacks, one Oscars category is nothing if not varied.

From Barron's • Mar. 4, 2026

It’s going to eat jobs, and people with imagination—and America is nothing if not imaginative—can see it coming.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 11, 2025

Yet true to his Ancient Greek lineage, this Oedipus is nothing if not paradoxical, suavely enjoying his privilege while brandishing his egalitarian views.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 13, 2025

Throughout the tour, word quickly spread about the practice, and Ozzy's fans were nothing if not resourceful.

From BBC • Jul. 22, 2025

But, as I said all that time ago, Violet is nothing if not persistent.

From "Jazz" by Toni Morrison