# no strings attached

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/no-strings-attached
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Without conditions or obligations; without a catch.

## Examples

- You can borrow my car — no strings attached.
- I will help you move your furniture, no strings attached.
- They give away free coffee every Monday, no strings attached.
- The company offered a free trial with no strings attached, so I decided to try it.
- The local community center offers free computer classes with no strings attached to help residents find better jobs.
- She accepted the scholarship because it was a pure gift with no strings attached regarding her future career.
- He gave her the old piano, no strings attached, asking only that she play it sometimes and think of him.

## Origin

From the figurative use of strings to denote conditions or limitations, the idiom may have originated with a common street prank. A money purse would be placed upon the ground to entice a passerby, only to be jerked away by a concealed string when they attempted to retrieve it. While the story remains an unproven theory for the phrase, it suggests a transaction offered without such invisible tethering. (disputed)

---

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.