by no means — emphatic negation
expressionC1IELTS 7+formalcommon
Used to strongly say that something is definitely not true, or not the case at all.
Say it like a native
Textbook It is in no way whatsoever to be regarded as certain.
Native It's by no means certain.
'In no way whatsoever to be regarded as' is overblown; the chunk is crisp.
Pattern: by no means [auxiliary + subject + verb], or at the start of a clause for emphasis
In use
- By no means is this an easy decision.daily life
- By no means do I believe that technology will completely replace teachers in the classroom. While it can support learning, the human element is still essential for motivation and guidance.IELTS speaking
Common mistake
✗ It's by no mean easy.
✓ It's by no means easy.
'By no means' — with the 's'.
Common collocations
by no means + adjective— certain, easy, the only, clear
Don't confuse it
'By no means' is stronger and more emphatic than 'not really' or 'not at all'. It is less casual than 'no way'.