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Party of No

Party of No

1 8.0
A political group that always opposes proposals and offers no alternatives
  • noun
translation icon : Partido del No
  • Many believe that the Democrats have shifted towards being the party of no over the past few years.

Examples

  • They are the party of No.

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  • Of course, the simplest rebuke to such a silly insult is almost self-explanatory: Republicans are not the party of no; they're the party of no to bad ideas.

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  • And if ever there needs to be a Republican Party of no, this bill is it!

    Blog text (6)
  • That is, until Obama was elected and they became the "party of no."

    Blog text (17)
  • The label of the "Party of No" has become far too prevalent in recent years.

    Blog text (2)
  • They've become the party of no.

    Blog text (2)
  • For a year or so, Republicans have been the so-called party of no.

    Blog text (21)
  • The Party of No's opposition to all things Obama is a matter of public record.

    Blog text (2)
  • Their response—much derided—to simply become "The Party of No" showed that there still is a backbone deep inside that body politic.

    Blog text (27)
  • Critics argue that the party of no offers no viable solutions to the country's problems.

How Oppositional

hardline
14 6.8
Party of No
1 8.0
opposition
  • UK
149 3.4
moderate
85 4.6

Surface Forms

Party of No singular
Parties of No plural

Morphology

party + of + no

The meaning 'a political group characterized by consistent opposition' is directly derivable from combining 'party' (a political group) with 'no' (negation/ refusal): a party that says 'no'. This compositional label follows transparent English naming patterns (party of X) and would be understandable to a B1 learner who knows the constituent words.

Etymology

Party of No creates a clear image: a party that says no to every idea. That's why it means 'a political group that always opposes proposals and often offers no alternatives'.