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Glite Dictionary
thanks for nothing

thanks for nothing

4 9.0
A phrase people say when they are annoyed because someone does not help
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : ¡gracias por nada!
  • Thanks for nothing," she said
  • Well, thanks for nothing

Examples

  • I'm sure he wants to say something like, "Thanks for nothing, Judge."

    Fiction book (1995)

  • "Thanks for nothing, Lieutenant," she said superciliously.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • "Thanks for nothing," Marissa said aloud as she fought back tears.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • I tightened my grip on Lucy's hand and walked with fast, thudding steps down the hall towards the stairs, muttering, "Thanks for nothing."

    Fiction book (1997)

  • Thanks for nothing, John Edward.

  • Thanks for nothing, Judge.

  • Thanks for nothing, you nitwit.

Synonyms

so much for
vsthanks for nothing
  • Informal
88 7.1

Shows that a plan or hope failed

is used sarcastically to blame a person for unhelpful actions

Surface Forms

thanks for nothing main

Morphology

thanks + for + nothing

The meaning is directly derivable from 'thanks' (an expression of gratitude) combined with 'for nothing' (for no benefit), yielding a sarcastic complaint that someone's help was useless. This compositional pattern is cross-linguistically common and uses straightforward semantics and pragmatics, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents should infer the intended disappointed/annoyed sense.

Etymology

The phrase thanks for nothing comes from the simple image of someone handing you an empty box or promising to help and then doing nothing, so you say thanks for nothing when you really receive nothing useful. That's why it is said 'sarcastically' to show 'disappointment' or 'annoyance'.