# nothing for it

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/nothing-for-it
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

No alternative; nothing else to be done or to have recourse to.

## Examples

- The car won't start, so there is nothing for it but to walk.
- The train was cancelled and the next bus is hours away, so there is nothing for it but to call a taxi.
- With the storm destroying the only bridge in town, there was nothing for it but to wait for the rescue team to arrive.

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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.