No Comment vs. No Comments
“No comment” is the established fixed response used when someone declines to answer or express an opinion. “No comments” is an ordinary plural noun phrase and works when the literal meaning is that there are zero comments, remarks, or responses rather than when giving the conventional refusal.
Say “no comment” to decline to answer a question. Use “no comments” when you literally mean there are no comments, such as “The post has no comments.”
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Form / construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| conventional refusal to answer or state an opinion | no comment | Use the fixed singular response. |
| literal statement that there are zero remarks or responses | no comments | Use the ordinary plural noun phrase. |
| one countable remark is absent in another literal context | no comment | Interpret from the sentence rather than assuming every singular instance is the fixed refusal. |
Quick tests
Meaning / construction test
Could the phrase be paraphrased as “I decline to answer”?
If yes: Use the fixed response “no comment.”
If no: If you literally mean that the number of comments is zero, use “no comments.”
Caveat: Number follows meaning here: the fixed refusal is singular, while the literal zero-count use normally takes the plural noun “comments.”
Examples
Asked about the rumor, the spokesperson replied, “No comment.”
The singular form is the conventional refusal.
The draft received no comments before the deadline.
The plural noun phrase means zero remarks.
The post still has no comments.
“Comments” is a countable plural and the meaning is literally none.
Further guidance
Choice Test
If the phrase could be paraphrased as “I decline to answer,” choose singular “no comment.”
Fixed Response
Use “no comment” as the conventional response when declining to answer or state an opinion.
Plural Use
Use “no comments” when “comments” is a countable plural and the intended meaning is zero remarks or responses.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Comment — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Dictionary evidence for fixed response “no comment” and ordinary plural noun “comments.”