What does nixed mean?
“Nixed” is the past tense and past participle of the informal verb “nix,” meaning to veto, cancel, or refuse approval. It is especially associated with British English, though it is now also understood and used in American English. The tone is generally brisk and decisive, sometimes humorous or dismissive: a committee “nixes” a proposal, or a manager “nixes” a proposed change. As a participial adjective, “nixed” can describe something that has been rejected or ruled out, as in “a nixed proposal.” The expression is useful when the cancellation itself is the important point, but its casualness makes it less suitable than “canceled,” “vetoed,” or “rejected” in formal legal, academic, or official writing. The word derives from German “nix,” an older form of “nichts,” meaning “nothing,” and has become a vivid shorthand for treating a proposal as nothing at all.
To veto, reject, or cancel something.
"The board nixed the merger at its last meeting."
Informal; especially common in British English.
Rejected, vetoed, or cancelled.
"The nixed proposal was replaced by a less ambitious plan."
Used attributively; informal and especially associated with British English.
To have your idea nixed is to be officially told, in one emphatic word, that it is going nowhere.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Words that share this root
How nixed is actually used
Informal and particularly associated with British English, though it is also used in American English. It can sound decisive and emphatic, but may be too casual for formal legal, academic, or official contexts.