English Meaning & Definitions
Not at all; certainly not; in no way.
- “It is by no means certain that the project will be completed on time.”
- “He is by no means a fool; in fact, he is quite sharp.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “by no means”.
The phrase originated in Middle English, combining the preposition 'by' (in the sense of 'according to' or 'with') with 'no means' (referring to a method, way, or instrument). It evolved as an emphatic way to negate a statement, essentially meaning 'in no way' or 'not at all.'
Think of it as a 'strong no': 'By' (the) 'no' (means) of any possibility.
Frequently Asked Questions About “by no means”
1. What is the meaning of “by no means” in English?
In English, by no means (idiom) is defined as: “Not at all; certainly not; in no way.”.
2. How do you use “by no means” in a sentence?
“It is by no means certain that the project will be completed on time.”
3. What are English synonyms of “by no means”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “by no means”?
The phrase originated in Middle English, combining the preposition 'by' (in the sense of 'according to' or 'with') with 'no means' (referring to a method, way, or instrument). It evolved as an emphatic way to negate a statement, essentially meaning 'in no way' or 'not at all.'
🇬🇧More English Words to English
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The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.