Word
dunno
Phoneticsdun·no
US/dəˈnoʊ/
UK/dˈʌnəʊ/
Definitions
01do not know
v. a short, informal way to say you do not know something.
v. a contraction of 'do not know' or 'does not know', typically used in informal writing to mimic casual speech patterns.
“I dunno where I left my keys, but they aren't on the table.”
“When asked about the missing files, he just shrugged and said 'I dunno' before walking away.”
Informal · Slang
Usage
Primarily used in the first person ('I dunno') but occasionally used for third person ('he dunno').
Pitfall
I dunno if I can come to the meeting.
I don't know if I can come to the meeting.
Avoid using 'dunno' in professional emails or formal essays; it is strictly for casual conversation or texting.
Teaching tip
Learners should be warned that while common in speech, 'dunno' can appear lazy or rude in formal contexts.
Antonyms
02the utterance itself
n. the act of saying the word 'dunno'.
n. the verbalisation of the contraction 'dunno', often used to describe a vague or unhelpful response.
“All I got from him was a quick 'dunno' and a shrug.”
“The witness offered nothing but a series of 'dunnos' during the cross-examination, frustrating the legal team.”
Informal
Usage
Usually functions as a countable noun referring to the specific instance of the word being spoken.
Synonyms
Etymology
Written form of an informal pronunciation of don't know that is a reduction of do not know or does not know.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/dunno