nix
1 Americannoun
verb (used with object)
adverb
interjection
noun
plural
nixes-
another word for no 1
-
be careful! watch out!
noun
-
a rejection or refusal
-
nothing at all
verb
noun
Etymology
Origin of nix1
First recorded in 1780–90; from German, variant of nichts “nothing”
Origin of nix2
1825–35; < German Nix, Old High German nihhus; cognate with Old English nicor water monster, Old Norse nykr, Norwegian nøkk, Swedish näck; compare Sanskrit nenekti (he) washes
Explanation
If you nix something, you cancel or veto it. You might nix your little sister's plan to build a fire pit in the middle of the front yard. In North America, to nix something is to forbid or put an end to it. Your aunt might nix your idea about a surprise party for your uncle, knowing he would hate it, and a babysitter might nix her charges' plan to stay up all night watching movies. Another, less formal meaning of nix is "nothing." This is also the oldest meaning of the word, from the German nichts, also "nothing," and pronounced in much the same way.
Vocabulary lists containing nix
Essential Three-Letter Words, Part 4
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Far from the Tree
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Frankly in Love
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Tesla was going to unveil it in the first quarter, but Elon Musk opted to nix the reveal, citing the risk of competitors copying Tesla’s progress.
From Barron's • Apr. 29, 2026
Think of travel insurance in two parts: There’s trip-cancellation insurance, which, as the name implies, offers protection in case you need to nix a trip before the fact — say, for medical reasons.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 3, 2026
Within a day of the failed rule vote, the House voted to nix Trump’s Canada tariffs.
From Slate • Feb. 14, 2026
The retail giant plans to nix ingredients including titanium dioxide, a food coloring, and azodicarbonamide, used to help bread rise consistently.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 1, 2025
The Latin for snowflake is nix, almost the same as the German for nothing.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
