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without
/wɪˈðaʊt/
lacking or not having something
She left the house without her keys.
She didn't have her keys when she left.
general
Not having or including something; lacking
The recipe calls for sugar, but you can make it without.
You don't need to add sugar to the recipe.
He spoke without hesitation.
He spoke confidently, without pausing.
Often used to describe absence or exclusion of something.
Collocations
without failalways, definitelywithout questioncertainly, definitelywithout a doubtundoubtedly, certainly
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Common Usage
Use 'without' to describe absence or exclusion, often followed by a noun or gerund.
Avoid Confusion
Do not confuse 'without' with 'with'—they have opposite meanings.
Gold Rule
Correct Usage
'Without' is always followed by a noun or gerund, never a verb in its base form.
Word Origin
From Middle English 'withoute', from Old English 'wīþūtan', from Proto-Germanic 'wīþr' (against) + 'ūtan' (outside).
Usage Notes
Can be used as a preposition or adverb. Often followed by a noun or gerund.
Word Breakdown
with
together with
prefixout
outside or away from
suffixEnglish Dictionary