nah

UK: nɑː | US: nɑː

Definition

  1. interj. informal variant of "no," expressing refusal, disagreement, or dismissal.

Structure

No data yet.

Etymology

"Nah" emerged as a colloquial contraction of "no" in English, reflecting phonetic simplification common in casual speech. Its usage dates back to the 19th century, particularly in American English dialects, where it gained traction as a dismissive or emphatic alternative. Unlike compound words, "nah" evolved organically through oral tradition rather than morphological construction.

Examples

  1. "Want to go out tonight?" "Nah, I’m too tired."

  2. "Did you like the movie?" "Nah, it was boring."

  3. "Nah, I don’t think that’s a good idea."

  4. He shrugged and said, "Nah, I’ll pass."

  5. "Nah, that’s not what I meant at all."