Meaning & use
it's a no-brainer
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Meaning
phrasefixed phraseinformal
A decision or choice that is so obvious and easy that it requires no thought.
Grammar: Used as a complete statement or after 'it's'; it does not take an object directly.
Patterns
- it's a no-brainer
- something is a no-brainer
- a no-brainer for someone
For most people, buying a used car instead of a new one is a no-brainer.
It's a no-brainer to take the job when they offer that much money.
Choosing the cheaper flight was a no-brainer since both arrived at the same time.
Common combinations
- it's a no-brainer that
- It's a no-brainer that we should leave early to avoid traffic.
- a real no-brainer
- For a student, that discount is a real no-brainer.
- a no-brainer for someone
- The decision was a no-brainer for the manager.
- seems like a no-brainer
- It seems like a no-brainer to book online.
Synonyms and how they differ
- no-brainer
- This is the same phrase used as a noun on its own, e.g. 'That's a no-brainer.'
- obvious choice
- A more neutral way to say the same thing; it does not carry the informal tone.
Practice
Complete the sentence: 'With such a low price, buying the tickets online was ___ no-brainer.'
Choose one answer.
'No-brainer' begins with a consonant sound /n/, so it takes 'a', not 'an'. 'The' would suggest a specific no-brainer already mentioned, which is not the case here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “it's a no-brainer”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.