rhizoverbBeta
DictionarynothingComplete absence
pronoun / noun / adverb / interjection

nothing

NUTH-ing/ˈnʌθɪŋ/

Not anything or any amount.

The open wooden box has nothing at all inside it.

An open wooden box viewed clearly from above, completely empty.
Etymology
noOld Englishnot one, not any
+thingOld Englishthing, entity

Old English nan meant “not one,” so its combination with þing expresses “not a single thing.” The compound rules out even one entity, giving the pronoun its absolute sense of “not anything at all.”

In context

King Of Exploring1:37
nothing has been done to secure this place. It's the same fence. Nothing has been done to improve the quality of this place.
Abandoned Rhode Island Mausoleum- Human Remains & Dentures On The Floor- Desecrated Tombs

More examples

  • Admission costs nothing on Sundays.
  • The finished room looks nothing like the original sketch.
  • “It's nothing,” she says when I thank her for helping.

Forms

nothing · nothings

nothingness noun — The state of complete absence or nonexistence.

Similar words

none
Refers to no part of something already mentioned or understood.
zilch
An informal, emphatic alternative for no amount or no result.
nil
Usually expresses zero in amounts, measurements, or recorded results.