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.
Magdalena Andersson, who was Sweden's first woman prime minister in 2021-2022, is a no-nonsense operator looking to return the left to power after her election win on Thursday.
From Barron's ● Sep. 17, 2026
Max Verstappen is in a no-nonsense mood - even more than usual.
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026
What to know: The fourth movie in the “Meet the Parents” canon pits Ben Stiller’s Gaylord Focker against his son’s girlfriend, a no-nonsense former FBI hostage negotiator played by Ariana Grande.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026
It all started — both the music and the doubt — in childhood, when “Tony” was growing up in the Welsh suburb of Margam where his father was a tough, no-nonsense baker.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
Senate office whose steady demeanor would keep me grounded in high-stress moments—plus a no-nonsense, politically savvy communications specialist named Stephanie Cutter.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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.
