Word
nobody
Phoneticsno·body
US/ˈnoʊˌbɑˌdi/
UK/nˈəʊbɒdˌi/
Definitions
01no person
A1 · Beginner
pron. not any person; no one.
pron. not any person; the logical negation of somebody. Functions as a singular indefinite pronoun.
日本語:誰も※
“I knocked on the door, but nobody answered.”
“Despite the urgent nature of the announcement, nobody in the crowded hall seemed to pay the slightest bit of attention.”
Usage
Always takes a singular verb form.
Pitfall
Nobody were at the office.
Nobody was at the office.
Even though 'nobody' refers to a lack of people, it is grammatically singular and takes a singular verb.
Synonyms
02unimportant person
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Informal
n. a person who is not famous, powerful, or important.
n. a person of no importance, influence, or social standing. Often used in a dismissive or derogatory manner.
“Before she became a famous singer, she was just a nobody from a small town.”
“The protagonist begins the novel as a complete nobody, working a dead-end job before a chance encounter changes his social trajectory forever.”
Teaching tip
This is the opposite of using 'somebody' to mean an important person (e.g., 'He thinks he's somebody').
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “nobody” in context.
Etymology
From Middle English nobody, no-body, no body. By surface analysis, no (“none, not any”, adjective) + body (“one, person, individual”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- A1 · BeginnerOxford
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/nobody
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0