# no great shakes

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/no-great-shakes
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Something unexceptional, not noteworthy or special.

## Examples

- The new restaurant is no great shakes.
- I tried the new action movie everyone likes, but I thought it was no great shakes.
- Although the critics praised the author's latest novel, I found the plot to be no great shakes compared to his earlier work.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.