no strings attached
Meaning
With no conditions, obligations, or hidden requirements; freely given or offered.
Origin
From puppetry and marionettes controlled by strings; if there are “no strings attached,” nothing is controlling you and no hidden conditions bind you.
Notes
Means “no conditions/obligations.” Common in offers, deals, gifts; can also imply skepticism about hidden catches (“Are there strings attached?”).
Examples
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They offered me a one-month trial, no strings attached, so I signed up.
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She said I could borrow her car for the weekend—no strings attached.
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The company donated the equipment to the school with no strings attached.
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I’ll help you move tomorrow, no strings attached; you don’t owe me anything.
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He’s looking for a relationship with no strings attached, but she wants something serious.
Grammar & Usage Notes
Usually used as an adjectival phrase after a noun or in a clause: “with no strings attached,” “a loan with no strings attached,” or “No strings attached.” Fixed wording; often plural “strings.”
Synonyms
- unconditional
- no-questions-asked
- with no conditions
- no obligations
- free and clear
Antonyms
- with strings attached
- conditional
- with conditions
- no-strings-attached