without

American  

[with-out, with-] / wɪðˈaʊt, wɪθ- /

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.

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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 British  

/ 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

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adverb

1. formal outside; outwardly

conjunction

1. not_standard unless

   don't come without you have some money

without Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing without

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

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Etymology

Origin of without

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

Example Sentences

At their debut, they almost singlehandedly inaugurated a shift towards hyper-intimate headphone pop - it’s hard to imagine Billie Eilish sounding quite the same without them.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2026

A reporter asked him directly whether there was any way to do these things without seriously hurting the civilian population.

From Salon • Apr. 11, 2026

“Today’s report complicates the Fed’s calculus without fundamentally rewriting it,” Pride added.

From Barron's • Apr. 11, 2026

I wouldn't be an England international scoring that goal at Euro 2024, playing in the Champions League... none of this would have happened without it'?

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

Even without the barrette, her hair was beautiful.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith