# dunno

/dəˈnoʊ/ (US) · /dˈʌnəʊ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/dunno
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. do not know

verb · CEFR A2 · Informal · Slang

a short, informal way to say you do not know something.

For teachers: 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.

Usage: Primarily used in the first person ('I dunno') but occasionally used for third person ('he dunno').

Teaching tip: Learners should be warned that while common in speech, 'dunno' can appear lazy or rude in formal contexts.

### 2. the utterance itself

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

the act of saying the word 'dunno'.

For teachers: 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.

Usage: Usually functions as a countable noun referring to the specific instance of the word being spoken.

## Examples

- I dunno, maybe we should go later.
- When asked about the meeting time, she shrugged and said she dunno.
- The interviewee's hesitant 'dunno' revealed a lack of preparation that formal language might have concealed.

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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.