Quick answer: Nobody (one word) is an indefinite pronoun meaning "not anyone, no person": Nobody answered the phone. No body (two words) literally means "no physical body": There was no body found at the scene. Nobody is about people in general; no body is about a literal, physical body. For a fuller definition, see the Cambridge Dictionary entry for ‘nobody’.
Comparison Table
| Term | Part of Speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| nobody | indefinite pronoun | not anyone; no person at all | Nobody remembered to lock the door. |
| no body | determiner + noun | not a single physical body; the literal absence of a body (rare, mostly literal/forensic use) | Investigators found no body at the crime scene. |
Using Nobody
Nobody is a common indefinite pronoun used constantly in everyday English, meaning "not any person" or "no one." It takes a singular verb.
Nobody wanted to volunteer for the early shift.
Is there nobody here who speaks French?
Nobody was surprised when the meeting ran late.
He felt like a complete nobody at the huge conference.
Using No Body
No body (written as two separate words) treats "body" as an ordinary noun, referring to the literal, physical absence of a body — whether a corpse, a body of water, or a body of evidence.
After the explosion, rescuers found no body among the wreckage.
The detective noted there was no body, only scattered evidence.
There is no body of water within twenty miles of here.
The report concluded there was no body of research to support the claim.
Memory Trick
Nobody (one word) belongs to the same family as "somebody", "anybody", and "everybody" — all about people. No body (two words) is just "no" + the ordinary noun "body" — a literal, physical thing, like "no car" or "no money."
Common Mistakes
✗ No body came to the party.
✓ Nobody came to the party.
Since this sentence is about people, not a literal physical body, "nobody" must be written as one word.
✗ Police searched the river but found nobody. (ambiguous/wrong if a corpse is meant)
✓ Police searched the river but found no body.
Tips to Avoid Confusion
- If you mean "not any person", use nobody (one word) — like somebody/anybody/everybody.
- If you mean a literal, physical body (a corpse, a body of water, a body of evidence), use no body (two words).
- Test it: can you replace it with "no one" or "not a single person"? If yes, use "nobody."
- "No body" contexts are rare in everyday writing — mostly found in crime, forensic, or technical writing about physical or organized "bodies."
For more on related grammar, see pronouns. Also confusing: Afraid vs Frightened, Alone vs Lonely, Angry vs Furious. Browse all confusing word pairs →
Quick Check: Nobody or No Body?
4 fill-in-the-blank questions — choose the correct form for each sentence.
1. “___ knew the answer to the question.” (not anyone)
2. “Searchers combed the forest but found ___.” (no physical corpse)
3. “___ else wanted the last slice of cake.”
4. “There is ___ of water for miles around this desert.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between nobody and no body?
Nobody (one word) is an indefinite pronoun meaning "not anyone, no person": "Nobody answered the phone." No body (two words) literally means "no physical body" or "not a single body": "There was no body found at the scene." Nobody is used constantly in everyday speech; no body is rare and mostly appears in literal, often forensic, contexts.
Why are nobody and no body so often confused?
They are pronounced almost identically and contain the same letters, so writers sometimes add or drop the space without noticing that it completely changes the meaning from "not anyone" to "not a single physical body."
Which one should I use in normal writing?
In almost all everyday writing you want "nobody" (one word), meaning no person: "Nobody came to the meeting." You would only write "no body" (two words) in the rare literal sense of an actual physical body being absent, such as in a crime report.
Is nobody the same as 'no one'?
Yes — "nobody" and "no one" are interchangeable indefinite pronouns meaning "not any person": "Nobody/No one knows the answer." Both take a singular verb.
Does nobody take a singular or plural verb?
Nobody takes a singular verb: "Nobody knows" (not "Nobody know"). It is often followed by a plural pronoun in informal speech ("Nobody left their bag"), though formal writing sometimes prefers "his or her."
Can 'no body' ever mean something other than a corpse?
Yes — "no body" can refer to any physical body or organized group, not just a corpse: "There is no body of evidence to support that claim" or "no body of water nearby." In these cases "body" simply means a mass, collection, or physical entity.
How do I know when to add a space between no and body?
Ask whether you mean "not any person" (write "nobody") or "not a single physical/organized body" such as a corpse, a body of water, or a body of evidence (write "no body", two words, treating "body" as an ordinary noun).
Can nobody be used as a noun meaning 'an unimportant person'?
Yes — informally, "a nobody" can be used as a noun meaning a person of no importance or influence: "He went from being a nobody to a household name." This use always has "a" or "the" before it.
Does 'no body' need special punctuation or spacing?
No special punctuation is needed — just remember to leave a space between "no" and "body" when you mean a literal, physical body, since without the space, "nobody" changes the meaning entirely to "not any person."
How can I remember nobody vs no body?
Nobody (one word, like "somebody" or "anybody") is about a person. No body (two words) is about a literal, physical body. If it fits the pattern of somebody/anybody/nobody, keep it as one word; if you're talking about an actual corpse or physical mass, use two words.