Phrase guide

have nothing on

verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To be short of accusatory evidence against (a person).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US, transitive

Examples

  • Relax. The cops have nothing on us. All they can prove is that we were in the same town on the same day.
  • “Now you have nothing on me, Senator, except my name on lists of names from Iraq, many of which have been drawn up after the installation of your puppet government in Baghdad. If you had any of the letters against me that you had against Zhirinovsky, and even Pasqua, they would have been up there in your slideshow for the members of your committee today.”

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To lack an advantage over, to not be in a better position than, to be nonsuperior to.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • His Mustang has nothing on her Corvette. [ = both cars are fast, and his cannot beat hers, although perhaps her car is not much faster (ambiguous)]

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To lack an advantage over, to not be in a better position than, to be nonsuperior to.

To be considerably inferior to.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: sometimes, transitive

Qualifier: via understatement

Examples

  • Even the quickest street-legal cars in town have nothing on a Top Fuel dragster. [ = understated sense: a Top Fuel dragster is considerably quicker]

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.