nix

1 of 4

verb

nixed; nixing; nixes

transitive verb

US, informal
: to refuse to accept or allow (something) : veto, reject
The court nixed the merger.
Many of Paris's newest hangouts are nixing gilded French style in favor of white walls, psychedelia and menus of tuna carpaccio and Parmesan-arugula salad.Jane Sigal
Prince has cited artistic factors for nixing the reunion.Chris Willman

nix

2 of 4

adverb

: no
used to express disagreement or the withholding of permission
often used with on
they said nix on our plan

nix

3 of 4

noun (1)

: nothing
There's a whole day's work for nix.

nix

4 of 4

noun (2)

: a water sprite of Germanic folklore

Examples of nix in a Sentence

Verb our supervisor nixed my request to work from home, if only on a trial basis movie audiences have effectively nixed the idea of the reviving the old-fashioned western by emphatically ignoring this latest effort
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Wheeler’s office, however, nixed the request for police attendants. oregonlive, 8 Sep. 2023 Although Williams suffered an injury that nixed him for the playoff game, the Chargers were favored by three points at Jacksonville. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Sep. 2023 But a legal maneuver by the Contra Costa County district attorney effectively nixed their subpoenas. Helen Li, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2023 In February, for example, New York state dropped a requirement that face coverings be worn even in health care settings, in line with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, after most other local businesses had already nixed mandates voluntarily. Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2023 Unlike other stores nixing some mandatory cashier interactions in favor of adding more self-checkout options, Trader Joe's does not plan to implement self-checkout in any of its hundreds of stores, company executives have confirmed. Emily Deletter, The Enquirer, 19 Aug. 2023 These hydrating all-stars are guaranteed to nix frizz and leave hair glossy. Deanna Pai, Women's Health, 19 July 2023 Other than the Fan Day practice open to anyone, Alabama nixed the media viewing periods after two workouts two preseasons ago. Michael Casagrande | McAsagrande@al.com, al, 22 Aug. 2023 Baltimore leaders nixed plans for a land bank in 2009 after concerns about transparency and financial feasibility. Giacomo Bologna, Baltimore Sun, 22 Aug. 2023
Noun
While many rival firms have committees outside China that approve or nix investments there, Sequoia China has been one of the few with its partners making their own on-the-ground decisions. Lulu Yilun Chen, Bloomberg.com, 6 June 2023 Jackson Browne has recovered from the illness that forced him to nix shows in Melbourne and Sydney. Lars Brandle, Billboard, 20 Apr. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nix.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1), Verb, and Adverb

German nichts nothing

Noun (2)

German, from Old High German nihhus; akin to Old English nicor water monster and perhaps to Greek nizein to wash

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1903, in the meaning defined above

Adverb

1862, in the meaning defined above

Noun (1)

1789, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1833, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nix was in 1789

Dictionary Entries Near nix

Cite this Entry

“Nix.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nix. Accessed 25 Sep. 2023.

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