nobody
- 01 A1 Beginner
pron.not any person; no one.
pron.not any person; the logical negation of somebody. Functions as a singular indefinite pronoun.
Simple“I knocked on the door, but nobody answered.”
In context“Despite the urgent nature of the announcement, nobody in the crowded hall seemed to pay the slightest bit of attention.”
UsageAlways takes a singular verb form.
PitfallNobody 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.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
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.
Simple“Before she became a famous singer, she was just a nobody from a small town.”
In context“The protagonist begins the novel as a complete nobody, working a dead-end job before a chance encounter changes his social trajectory forever.”
Teacher's tipThis is the opposite of using 'somebody' to mean an important person (e.g., 'He thinks he's somebody').
Usage nobody else · nobody wants
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.