zilch
C1informal, slang
Definition
Meaning
Nothing; zero; a complete absence of quantity or value.
Used to emphasize the total lack of something, often in contexts of failure, results, or possessions.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Strongly negative connotation of emptiness or failure. Often used for humorous or emphatic effect. Not used in formal contexts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The word is used similarly in both varieties, but is more firmly established in American English.
Connotations
Both share the same informal, slightly humorous tone. No significant difference in connotation.
Frequency
More frequent in American English, but widely understood and used in British English.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
verb + zilch (e.g., get, earn, know)preposition + zilch (e.g., with zilch, for zilch)adjective + zilch (e.g., absolute zilch)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “from zilch to hero (play on 'zero to hero')”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Informally used to describe zero profit, sales, or results. e.g., 'Q4 revenue? Zilch.'
Academic
Generally avoided. Might appear in informal student discourse.
Everyday
Common in spoken language to express having nothing or achieving nothing.
Technical
Not used in technical registers.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- After the crash, his investment was zilch.
American English
- Her chances of winning are zilch.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I searched my pockets but found zilch.
- He knows zilch about cooking.
- Despite all their efforts, they achieved zilch.
- The company's new policy did zilch to improve morale.
- The investigation yielded zilch in terms of concrete evidence.
- His contribution to the project was absolute zilch, and everyone knew it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a 'ZILCH' brand chocolate bar with an empty wrapper – there's nothing inside.
Conceptual Metaphor
NOTHINGNESS IS A WORTHLESS OBJECT/QUANTITY.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating as 'ничего' in neutral contexts; it's stronger, like 'ни черта', 'ноль'.
- It is a noun, not an adverb like 'совсем'.
Common Mistakes
- Using it in formal writing.
- Using it as an adjective (e.g., 'a zilch person' is incorrect). It is primarily a pronoun/noun.
Practice
Quiz
In which context would 'zilch' be LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it's informal and emphatic, but not offensive or rude.
No, it is considered slang. Use 'zero', 'nothing', or 'no' instead.
Its origin is uncertain but it appeared in American student slang in the 1960s, possibly from a comic strip character named 'Mr. Zilch' who represented a nonentity.
Rarely and non-standardly. Its primary use is as a noun/pronoun meaning 'nothing', and informally as an adjective (e.g., zilch chance).