Definition

Pronoun 1. No person; not anyone: Used to refer to the absence of any person in a given context. Example: "There was nobody at home when I arrived."

Noun 1. A person of no importance or influence: A person who is considered insignificant or unimportant. Example: "He felt like a nobody in the large, anonymous city."

Usage

• As a pronoun, "nobody" is used as the subject or object of a verb to mean "no person." It is used with a singular verb.
  • Nobody knows the answer.
  • I called, but nobody answered.
• As a noun, "nobody" refers to an unimportant person. It is countable and can be pluralized ("nobodies").
  • She went from being a nobody to a famous singer.
  • The party was full of celebrities and a few nobodies.

Examples

• Pronoun:
  • Nobody is perfect.
  • The room was empty; nobody was there.
  • He told nobody his secret.
• Noun:
  • He was treated like a nobody by the arrogant manager.
  • In the world of high finance, he was a complete nobody.

Advanced Usage

• "nobody else": No other person.
  • Nobody else can solve this problem.
• "nobody but": Only a specific person (used for emphasis).
  • Nobody but the manager has access to this file.
• "nobody's fool": A person who is not easily deceived or tricked.
  • She may seem quiet, but she's nobody's fool.

Variants and Related Words

• No one: A pronoun with the same meaning as "nobody." It is often considered slightly more formal.
  • No one could believe the news.
• Nonentity (noun): A person or thing with no special or interesting qualities; an unimportant person or thing. This is a more formal synonym for the noun form of "nobody."
  • He was dismissed as a political nonentity.

Synonyms

• Pronoun: no one, not anyone.
• Noun: nonentity, cipher, lightweight, small fry (informal).

Antonyms

• Pronoun: everybody, everyone, somebody, someone.
• Noun: somebody, celebrity, VIP, luminary.

Related Idioms

• Like nobody's business: Very fast, very well, or to a great degree.
  • She can write code like nobody's business.
• It's an ill wind that blows nobody any good: (Proverb) Even a bad situation usually benefits someone.
  • The store closed, but the cafe next door got more customers. It's an ill wind...

Noun

1. a person of no influence