1
as in nobody
a person of no importance or influence
a passive and retiring little zilch of a person
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Recent Examples of zilch
The Bengals, meanwhile, have zip-zilch-nada defensively other than Trey Hendrickson, who might not play on a short week with a bad back/hip.
—
Vic Tafur, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Vic Tafur, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for zilch
Noun
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Professional athletes, however, aren’t nobodies.—
Joe Kozlowski,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
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More importantly, the narrative explores both sides of the conflict from the POV of grunts and 'nobodies' trying to navigate the post-Civil War state of the galaxy before the fighting stops.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
4 Aug. 2025
Noun
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When Dana, who, like Virginia, had been successful in writing pleasant but undistinguished nothings—in her case, songs for Billy Rose’s revues—decided to try taking on more serious music by studying with Boulanger, Virginia entered a deep downward spiral.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Jan. 2026
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Why did her mom press so hard for the littlest of nothings?—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
4 Dec. 2025
Noun
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The movie, which posits an impending nuclear strike on a major American city, is a flimsy yet high-minded piece of doomsday schlock, largely populated by ciphers in suits and drained of the pulp pleasures that schlock, at its best, can afford.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
14 Oct. 2025
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Such ciphers are easy to crack using techniques such as checking letter frequency and identifying common patterns.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Players with lots of recruiting stars next to their names and coaches with lots of zeroes on their paychecks.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
8 Jan. 2026
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According to Su, the current compute infrastructure runs at 100 zetaflops, but to serve 5 billion AI users worldwide, this needs to be raised to 10 Yottaflops (10 followed by 20 zeros).—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
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La Selva always had caymans, but only the less aggressive and less territorial dwarf and white species.—
Noah Lederman,
Robb Report,
3 Jan. 2026
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Recently, the Hubble Space Telescope captured an image of a dwarf galaxy in the constellation Ursa Major.—
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry,
Space.com,
31 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Despite its lightweight feel, the crew neckline and long sleeves provide cozy warmth, especially when buttoned up over a tank top or T-shirt.—
Nicol Natale,
PEOPLE,
8 Nov. 2025
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Crafted from impact-resistant polycarbonate, this suitcase weighs 7 pounds, which is the most lightweight that Arlo Skye offers.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Declining bat populations could have real consequences for us, given the important role bats play in insect control, seed dispersal, and pollination.—
NPR,
NPR,
8 Nov. 2025
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Outdoor treatments are designed to reduce mosquitoes, ticks, and other biting insects that can make backyards difficult to enjoy.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Zilch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/zilch. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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