without

[with-out, with-]

preposition

1. with the absence, omission, or avoidance of; not with; with no or none of; lacking.

   without help; without shoes; without her helping me; without him to help.

2. free from; excluding.

   a world without hunger.

3. not accompanied by.

   Don't go without me.

4. at, on, or to the outside of; outside of.

   both within and without the house or the city.

5. beyond the compass, limits, range, or scope of (now used chiefly in opposition towithin ).

   whether within or without the law.

adverb

1. in or into an exterior or outer place; outside.

2. outside a house, building, etc..

   The carriage awaits without.

3. lacking something implied or understood.

   We must take this or go without.

4. as regards the outside; externally.

noun

1. the outside of a place, region, area, room, etc.

conjunction

1. Midland and Southern U.S.,  unless.

without

/ wɪˈðaʊt /

preposition

1. not having

   a traveller without much money

2. not accompanied by

   he came without his wife

3. not making use of

   it is not easy to undo screws without a screwdriver

4. (foll by a verbal noun or noun phrase) not, while not, or after not

   she can sing for two minutes without drawing breath

5. archaic,  on the outside of

adverb

1. formal,  outside; outwardly

conjunction

1. not_standard,  unless

   don't come without you have some money

Word History and Origins

Origin of without¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English withouten, Old English withūtan (adverb and preposition); equivalent to with + out

Idioms and Phrases

• absent without leave
• do without
• get along without
• go without saying
• no smoke without fire

Example Sentences

Sure, al-Jasser died as part of what Human Rights Watch and the Middle East Democracy Center characterize as “an unprecedented surge in executions in 2025 without apparent due process.”

From Salon

"We will continue to play our part in ensuring that journalists are protected and empowered to do their jobs without fear or intimidation," Deputy Chief Constable Sam de Reya added.

From BBC

Hamilton hung on in front of Fernando Alonso's Aston Martin but was given a five-second penalty for leaving the track multiple times without a justifiable reason, which promoted the Spaniard to seventh.

From BBC

Yet Hamas' decision to enter the talks without explicit preconditions could also be seen as a recognition of its limited leverage after nearly two years of war.

From BBC

Noskova, playing in her first WTA 1,000 showpiece, won just 12 points in a 23-minute opening set where she was on the end of a 'bagel' - losing a set without winning a game.

From BBC