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Meaning & use

no match

phrase, noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/nəʊ ˈmætʃ/
US/noʊ ˈmætʃ/

Meanings

  1. phrasefixed phrase

    Used to say that a person or thing is much weaker or less capable than another and has no chance against it.

    Grammar: Used after be, followed by for: she was no match for him.

    Patterns

    • be no match for someone
    • be no match for something

    Our small team was no match for the champions.

    Her old laptop is no match for the new one.

    The cheap umbrella was no match for the storm.

  2. noununcountablecomputingtechnical

    A result showing that a search or comparison has found nothing that fits or agrees with what was looked for.

    Grammar: Often appears as a message: the system returned 'no match'.

    Patterns

    • return no match
    • there is no match

    The scanner showed no match for the fingerprint.

    The database returned no match for her name.

    The DNA test came back with no match.

Common combinations

be no match for
Her speed was no match for his strength.
find no match
Investigators found no match in the records.
return no match
The search tool returned no match for that code.
no match found
The screen read: no match found.
prove no match for
The old defenses proved no match for the flood.

Synonyms and how they differ

no competition
No competition is more conversational and stresses how easily one side wins, while no match is a slightly more standard way to say it.
outclassed
Outclassed is a single adjective for being clearly weaker, while no match needs 'for' and an object.
no hits
No hits is the usual wording for an empty search result, but no match can be used for comparisons of any sort.

Opposites

a good matchequal to

Word family

match noun
something equal or alike, or a contest
match verb
to be equal to or go well with
matching adjective
alike or going together
mismatch noun
a poor or unequal pairing

Commonly confused: no match or mismatch?

no match vs mismatch

A mismatch is a poor pairing of two things, while no match says a search found nothing or one side is far weaker.

Practice

The challenger was ___ the world champion and lost in the first round.

Make it your own

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