'Noone' or 'No One': What's the Difference Between the Two?

Should you spell it ‘noone’ or ‘no one’? And what’s the difference between the two spellings? We’ll answer that in this article, plus teach you how to use the correct one in a sentence.

The short answer is that ‘no one’ is the correct way to spell the word. Any other spelling is incorrect and ungrammatical, so make sure to always use a space between the two words.

‘Noone’ or ‘No one’ – What's the Difference??

As you just learned about this word, the right way to spell it would be with the space. Any other spelling would be incorrect.

‘No-one,’ ‘Noone,’ or ‘No one’ – Which is Right?

You might also see this compound word with a dash, but that’s incorrect as well. The only correct way to spell it is with the space and without the hyphen.

Now, let’s take a look at the definition and meaning of the word.

Definition and Meaning of "No One"

Before we define the compound word as a whole, let’s break it down and define each word first.

Definition of 'No'

The Merriam-Webster definition of the word ‘no’ is: “not,” “used as a function word to express the negative of an alternative choice or possibility,” “in no respect or degree > used in comparisons,” “no so > used to express negation, dissent, denial, or refusal,”  and “used with a following adjective to imply a meaning expressed by the opposite positive statement."

It also means “used as a function word to emphasize a following negative or to introduce a more emphatic, explicit, or comprehensive statement,” “used as an interjection to express surprise, doubt, or incredulity,” “used in combination with a verb to form a compound adjective,” and “in negation.”

As an adjective, the word means: “not any,” “hardly any: very little,” “not a: quite other than a,” and “used in combination with a noun to form a compound adjective.”

The noun can be defined as: “an act or instance of refusing or denying by the use of the word no: denial,” “a negative vote or decision.”

Definition of 'One'

The Merriam-Webster definition of the word ‘one’ is: “being a single unit or thing,” “being one in particular,” “being preeminently what is indicated,” “being the same in kind or quality,” “constituting a unified entity of two or more comparisons,” “being in agreement or union,” “some,” and “being a certain individual specified by name.”

As a noun, it’s defined as: “the first whole number above zero,” “the number denoting unity,” “the first in a set or series > often used with an attributive noun,” or “an article of clothing of a size designated one,” “a single person or thing,” and “a one-dollar bill.”

As a pronoun, its definition is: “a certain indefinitely indicated person or thing,” “an individual of a vaguely indicated group: anyone at all,” “used as a third person substitute for a first-person pronoun,” and “a single instance of a specified action.”

Synonyms of the word include:

Adjective

• Alone
• Only
• Solitary
• Lone
• Singular
• Special
• Unique
• Sole
• One-off

Noun

• Bone (slang)
• Dollar
• Buck
• Smacker (slang)
• Clam

The Merriam-Webster definition of ‘no one’ is: “no person: nobody.”

Now that you know what the word means let’s see how to use it in a sentence correctly.

How to Use ‘No One’ in a Sentence

Using ‘no one’ in a sentence should be easy with these examples.

• No one in the office is doing anything for Valentine’s Day.
• No one likes the new temp; he’s not going to last long here.
• The meaning of the holidays is subjective. No one is going to care if you don’t celebrate.
• No one was there for me when I was depressed.
• No one here really likes anime that much.
• Thankfully, no one was in the building when it exploded.

Final Advice on ‘Noone’ and ‘No One’

To recap, we’ve learned that ‘no one’ is the only correct way to spell the word, despite what you might see out in the world. In your writing, the only acceptable way to spell it is with the space between the two words.

If you ever forget, you can always come back here and refresh your memory. We’ve also got a whole library of other content on confusing words and phrases you might be struggling with. Go check it out.