no-nonsense

adjective

ˈnō-ˌnän-ˌsen(t)s How to pronounce no-nonsense (audio)
Definition of no-nonsensenext
as in solemn
not joking or playful in mood or manner a no-nonsense gymnastics coach

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of no-nonsense Sigman plays Carmen Belandria, a no-nonsense, fiercely loyal mother and wife of Miguel. — Denise Petski, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2026 The actress, comedian, and famously tough interviewer plays a no-nonsense bouncer at a party Allie and Owen are desperate to attend. — Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Aug. 2026 Spiridakos is terrific as the no-nonsense ranger who refuses to let herself be crushed by her past or present. — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026 Those who knew Granger remember her as a champion of Fort Worth and a hard-working, no-nonsense, consensus builder in Washington who wasn’t afraid to work across the aisle. — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for no-nonsense
Recent Examples of Synonyms for no-nonsense
  1. solemn
  2. serious
  3. stern
  4. professional
  5. earnest
Adjective
  • The slow chimes of Big Ben sounded, and then the newsreader’s solemn voice with the headlines.
    — Helen Simpson, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
  • In addition, the new king will receive a solemn ecclesiastical blessing in Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim.
    — Stefania Conrieri, Vanity Fair, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of solemn
Adjective
  • Wearing something slightly more playful also helped keep the whole day from feeling too serious or dramatic.
    — Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 2 Sep. 2026
  • But then Sandy stops by for a friendly chat, and his daughter Nina (Zosia Mamet, ice-cold and slightly underused) gets serious.
    — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of serious
Adjective
  • Irving was born in New York City on April 3, 1783, the son of a stern Scottish immigrant who ran a tidy import business selling wine, sugar, and hardware.
    — Eric Lach, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Former President Joe Biden turned to then-CIA Director William Burns to relay stern warnings to Russia before and after President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
    — Matthew Mulligan, NBC news, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of stern
Adjective
  • Indeed, Liekhus is the first actor who was able to convince me that the character of Ma Rainey really is a professional, jobbing singer.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Manufacturing lost 17,000 jobs, professional and business services was off 16,000, and both natural resources and mining as well as trade, transportation and utilities reported declines of 5,000.
    — Jeff Cox, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of professional
Adjective
  • Amid a national cinema that has become internationally recognized for perverse plotting and deadpan absurdism, writer-director Alexis Alexiou‘s third feature stands out for its stark storytelling and earnest emotional intensity.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 30 Aug. 2026
  • But there’s also a subtle rejection of the earnest wokeness of years past.
    — Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of earnest

Browse Nearby Words

nonofficial
no-nonsense
nonoperating
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“No-nonsense.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/no-nonsense. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All