zilch

noun

ˈzilch How to pronounce zilch (audio)
Definition of zilchnext
1
as in nobody
a person of no importance or influence a passive and retiring little zilch of a person

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nothing
the numerical symbol 0 or the absence of number or quantity represented by it the amount of money that we have coming in right now is zilch

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of zilch The women earned as little as $25 per game—or frequently zilch. — Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026 Reviews have been mixed, with some critics embracing Gyllenhaal’s bold vision and others dismissing it as a whole lot of sound and fury, signifying zilch. — Brent Lang, Variety, 6 Mar. 2026 Once all the air pollution goes to zilch in half an hour, the Airmega automatically switches into eco mode. — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 6 Feb. 2026 At zero or zip or zilch charge. — Chris John Amorosino, Hartford Courant, 30 Jan. 2026 The Bengals, meanwhile, have zip-zilch-nada defensively other than Trey Hendrickson, who might not play on a short week with a bad back/hip. — Vic Tafur, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for zilch
  1. nobody
  2. nothing
  3. cipher
  4. zero
  5. dwarf
  6. lightweight
  7. insect
Noun
  • In the trailer, the civilians are selling themselves as a new breed of nobodies.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Despite the tragicomic instability and the rotating cast of nobodies temporarily tasked with running the country, when seen in macroeconomic terms, Peru appears to be doing just fine, thank you.
    — Daniel Alarcón, New Yorker, 4 June 2026
Definition of nobody
Noun
  • While CinemaCon 2026 brought us exciting news about new films, it was also bogged down with status quo nothings about how Amazon MGM still hasn’t found a new James Bond.
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 17 Apr. 2026
  • When Dana, who, like Virginia, had been successful in writing pleasant but undistinguished nothings—in her case, songs for Billy Rose’s revues—decided to try taking on more serious music by studying with Boulanger, Virginia entered a deep downward spiral.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Jan. 2026
Definition of nothing
Noun
  • There’s that vibrancy and, on the other side of the ledger, dead boys, ciphers, unfinished or unfinishable quests.
    — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • But in my view, our relationships to animals, whose lives are untouched by the existential woes and artifices of personhood, are the richest and most evident ciphers for our own often inscrutable psyches.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 June 2026
Definition of cipher
Noun
  • Engineers could represent the two configurations as binary digits, or zeros and ones.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 13 Oct. 2026
  • This Zuckerberg is no longer made of flesh and blood but ones and zeros.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of zero
Noun
  • While most citrus trees are too large for indoor growing, there are a few small or dwarf varieties of citrus that can be kept indoors year-round in pots.
    — Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 16 Oct. 2026
  • These explosions, known as hypernovas, were first proposed to explain unusual stars in the halo of our galaxy, the Milky Way, and in a neighboring dwarf galaxy.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of dwarf
Noun
  • Available in six styles—two of which are prescription-ready—each pair features polarized lenses, lightweight frames, noise-cancelling microphones, and open-ear hi-fi audio.
    — Matt Alderton, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The company says its paddings provide the same soft touch and luxurious look, lightweight and silky feel of down stuffing.
    — Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of lightweight
Noun
  • Unlike Gregor Samsa who is confined to his room after transforming into a huge insect, the protagonist still has to go to work, a dark and bleak absurdity that lays bare the alienation, isolation, and hypocrisy of modern life.
    — Deadline, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2026
  • At the hospital, an insect fell from the girl’s shoe, and a staffer saw a cockroach crawling on her, the district attorney’s office said.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of insect

Browse Nearby Words

zigzags
zilch
zilches
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Cite this Entry

“Zilch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/zilch. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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