now, now

idiom

1
used to tell someone not to be worried or unhappy
Now, now, don't cry. Everything will be all right. You'll see!
2
used in speech to express criticism or disapproval in a gentle way
Now, now. There's no need to use that kind of language.

Examples of now, now in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web This is especially important to remember in this era of now, now, now and more, more, more. Christina Pérez, Vogue, 2 Dec. 2023 Yet, regardless of the melody’s direction, Nelson picked at those nylon strings hard and decisively, making the flow of time feel less fluid, every note declaring the present — now, now, now, now, now. Chris Richards, Washington Post, 2 May 2023

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

Dictionary Entries Near now, now

Cite this Entry

“Now, now.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/now%2C%20now. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!