noun · 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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CMU ARPABET:N OW2 B R EY1 N ER0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
An easy or obvious conclusion, decision, solution; something requiring little or no thought.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: informal
Examples
Choosing the older version which was as good as the newer version for half the cost was a no-brainer.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A conundrum requiring little or no thought to solve; A problem with an easy or obvious conclusion, decision, solution.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: informal
Examples
This next exam question is a no-brainer.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
anything that requires little thought
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: undertaking, project, task, labor
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English no Proto-Indo-European *mregh- Proto-Indo-European *-n̥ Proto-Indo-European *mrógh-n̥ ~ *mrégh-n̥-s Proto-Germanic *bragną Proto-West Germanic *bragn Old English bræġn Middle English brayn English brain Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Proto-Italic *-āzios Latin -āriusnom. Latin -āriusbor. Proto-Germanic *-ārijaz Proto-West Germanic *-ārī Old English -ere Middle English -ere English -er English no-brainer From no + brain + -er.
Across languages
Translations
17 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Chinese Cantonese:
明顯 /明显[嘅決定]
(ming4 hin2)
— an easy or obvious conclusion, decision, solution, task (idiomatic)
Chinese Mandarin:
明顯 /明显[的決定]
(míngxiǎn)
— an easy or obvious conclusion, decision, solution, task (idiomatic)
Czech:
není žádná věda
— an easy or obvious conclusion, decision, solution, task (idiomatic)
Finnish:
itsestäänselvyys
— an easy or obvious conclusion, decision, solution, task (idiomatic)
French:
évidence
— an easy or obvious conclusion, decision, solution, task (idiomatic)
Georgian:
ცხადი არჩევანი
(cxadi arčevani)
— an easy or obvious conclusion, decision, solution, task (idiomatic)
Georgian:
იოლი გადაწყვეტილება
(ioli gadac̣q̇veṭileba)
— an easy or obvious conclusion, decision, solution, task (idiomatic)
German:
Selbstläufer
— an easy or obvious conclusion, decision, solution, task (idiomatic)
German:
einfache Sache
— an easy or obvious conclusion, decision, solution, task (idiomatic)
German:
klare Sache
— an easy or obvious conclusion, decision, solution, task (idiomatic)
German:
klarer Fall
— an easy or obvious conclusion, decision, solution, task (idiomatic)
German:
sonnenklar
— an easy or obvious conclusion, decision, solution, task (idiomatic)
Italian:
bazzecola
— an easy or obvious conclusion, decision, solution, task (idiomatic)
Russian:
не бино́м Ньюто́на
(ne binóm Nʹjutóna)
— an easy or obvious conclusion, decision, solution, task (idiomatic)
Russian:
ежу́ поня́тно
(ježú ponjátno)
— an easy or obvious conclusion, decision, solution, task (idiomatic)
Spanish:
obviedad
— an easy or obvious conclusion, decision, solution, task (idiomatic)
Swedish:
solklar
— an easy or obvious conclusion, decision, solution, task (idiomatic)
