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naught

naught

30 8.3
The state of having no value, result, or importance
  • noun
  • /nɔt/
  • Archaic
translation icon : nada
  • If we do not change our approach, our plans will amount to naught in the end.
  • come to naught

Examples

  • The fruit of six years of work, the Jordan Commission's recommendations came to naught.

    Academic text (2000)
  • - This is all for naught.

  • Their plan to establish a teaching institute there came to naught in under a year thanks to opposition to their brand of reform.

    Academic text (2018)
  • Even then, these efforts to act against the Syrian regime came to naught.

    Academic text (2013)
  • I'm afraid it's all for naught, Miss Kiesling.

  • All her hard work proved to be for naught when the project was canceled at the last minute.

  • His attempts to negotiate a better deal were for naught due to the strict company policies.

Synonyms

nothing
vsnaught
1.0

Not anything of interest or value

refers more to the state of having no value, result, or importance
squat
vsnaught
  • Slang
54 8.1

An amount that is nothing

is the neutral term for absolute absence or zero without slang tone
zip
vsnaught
  • Slang
43 8.1

Nothing at all often used informally to mean zero

is the broader term for absence or zero beyond casual slang
nothingness
vsnaught
32 7.2

A state with no people or things in it

is the more general lack focusing on value or result rather than existence
nil
vsnaught
  • UK
20 5.1

No amount or value, meaning nothing at all

is broader, covering lack of value or result beyond scores
nothin
vsnaught
  • Informal
19 9.9

Not anything or zero

is the standard spelling and formal term for the same absence
aught
vsnaught
  • Archaic
15 9.9

Nothing of value or importance

is the common neutral term for the same lack or zero value
zippo
vsnaught
  • Archaic
8 9.9

Nothing at all

is the general expression of absence or zero in neutral speech
zilch
vsnaught
  • Informal
7 8.5

Nothing at all

is the neutral description of lack of value, result, or amount
diddley
vsnaught
  • Informal
7 9.9

A very small amount, almost nothing

is the neutral concept of nothing or zero without slang tone
nada
vsnaught
  • Informal
6 9.4

Nothing at all

is the standard term for lack of value, result, or importance
goose egg
vsnaught
  • Informal
3 8.1

A score or total of zero

is the general concept of having no value, result, or importance
nowt
vsnaught
  • UK
1 9.9

Not anything at all

is the general neutral term for absence or lack of value
zero
vsnaught
1.0

Having no amount or value

is broader, referring to lack of value, result, or importance
nihility
vsnaught
9.9

A state in which nothing exists

is the everyday term for lack of value, result, or importance

Antonyms

1.0

An unknown object or idea that is not named

Compounds

good-for-naught
  • Offensive
9.9

Not useful and having little value

good-for-naught
  • Offensive
9.9

A person who does little work and is not useful

How Much

all
1.0
much
1 1.0
some
1.0
little
1 1.0
naught
  • Archaic
30 8.3

Surface Forms

naught singular
naughts plural

Etymology

The word naught comes from old parts meaning no and thing, literally 'no thing', and it is the same idea as the modern word nothing. So naught means 'zero' or 'no value', which is why we say efforts came to naught when they have no result.