nothing short of

Idioms

The equivalent of, the same as, as in His accusation is nothing short of slander. This term is slightly stronger than little short of, meaning “almost the same as,” as in Her claim is little short of stupid. The first term dates from about 1800, the second from about 1830. Also see short of.

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.

Watkins' response to the setback has been nothing short of emphatic, with the 30-year-old adding to the goal he scored against West Ham in the Premier League just before the international break.

From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026

Coachella became Beychella and her Homecoming performance was nothing short of epic, even becoming its own Netflix special.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026

It is nothing short of remarkable that more U.S. pilots haven’t been shot down in the month since the war began.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

The valuation gain has been nothing short of incredible.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

On flatland, nothing could catch them, and even on hills and rocky terrain, there was nothing short of Araby close to their equal.

From "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman

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