No One vs. Noone
The standard expression is written “no one,” and Cambridge also records the hyphenated variant “no-one.” The fully closed spelling “noone” is not the accepted form in the cited grammar guidance.
Write “no one” (or accepted “no-one” where appropriate), not “noone”.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Form / construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| standard indefinite pronoun in the common open spelling | no one | Use the two-word form. |
| recognized hyphenated variant where the governing variety/style permits it | no-one | This is also documented. |
| fully closed spelling for the pronoun | noone | Do not use this spelling for the documented pronoun. |
Quick tests
Meaning / construction test
Do you mean the indefinite pronoun meaning “nobody”?
If yes: Write “no one,” or use the documented “no-one” variant where your governing style accepts it.
If no: If the letters happen to meet across a different word boundary or name, this pronoun rule may not apply.
Caveat: This is a three-form spelling choice: “no one” and the documented “no-one” are not equivalent to the rejected closed spelling “noone,” and house style may prefer one accepted form.
Examples
No one answered the final question.
The standard open spelling is two words.
No-one was available to sign for the parcel.
The hyphenated variant is documented and may be used where the governing style permits it.
No one on the team had seen the message.
The pronoun remains open in the common spelling.
Further guidance
Core difference
Cambridge records “no one” as two words and also recognizes the hyphenated “no-one”; it explicitly says not to write the closed form “noone”.
Usage Boundary
Use “no one” or, where the governing variety/style permits it, “no-one”; do not close the expression as “noone”.
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.
- No one, nobody, nothing, nowhere — Cambridge Grammar (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · No one/no-one spelling guidance and explicit rejection of noone