Synonyms of without
1
2
—used as a function word to indicate the absence or lack of something or someone
fight without fear
left without him
looks without seeing

without

2 of 4

adverb

1
: on the outside : externally
2
: with something lacking or absent
has learned to do without

without

3 of 4

conjunction

chiefly dialectal
: unless
You don't know about me without you have read a book …—Mark Twain

without

4 of 4

noun

: an outer place or area
came from without

Synonyms of without

Examples of without in a Sentence

Preposition Do you take your coffee with or without sugar? Don't leave home without your wallet. Without water, there would be no life on Earth. I can't imagine life without a car. It happened suddenly and without warning. The prisoner will be held without bail until his trial. These cookies are made without flour. Try doing the math without a calculator. I can't see you without my glasses. Adverb Do you take your coffee with sugar or without?
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Preposition
West Point implemented a rule in early 2025 that sought to bar civilian and military professors from publishing papers, speaking at conferences or appearing on podcasts without seeking approval from superiors. — Arkansas Online, 27 Oct. 2026 Although the entrance was barricaded by a refrigerator and a couch, Gentry found a way inside and all three hostages were saved without injury, Mekosch said. — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Oct. 2026 This demonstrates that even without diesel price increases, overall delivery costs have steadily trended higher. — CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026 In June, Chinese leader Xi Jinping visited Pyongyang without publicly mentioning the dictator’s nuclear weapons program. — Dan Blumenthal, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for without

Word History

Etymology

Preposition

Middle English withoute, from Old English withūtan, from with + ūtan outside, from ūt out — more at out entry 1

First Known Use

Preposition

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Conjunction

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1899, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of without was before the 12th century

Cite this Entry

“Without.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/without. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

1
a
: outside entry 4 sense 1
they stood without the castle gates
b
: out of the range or limits of
not without our capabilities
2
a
: not having : in the absence of
without food
b
: not accompanied by or showing
spoke without thinking

without

2 of 3 adverb
1
: on the outside
2
: with something lacking or absent
learn to do without

without

3 of 3 noun
: an outer place or area
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster