Your Guide to the Gen Z Term "Naur"

Learn to use “naur” like a natural

Co-authored by Ali Garbacz

Last Updated: March 7, 2023

The word “naur” hardly looks like it belongs in the English language, so why is it everywhere on social media, and what does it mean? We’ll walk you through all the different meanings “naur” can have and will also give you tons of examples of how to use it. Get ready to naur everything about “naur.”

Things You Should Know

“Naur” is the written form of “no” being said with an Australian accent.
It’s a slang term that gained popularity on social media.
“Naur” can convey a variety of emotions, including displeasure, frustration, or sarcasm.

Section 1 of 3:

Origin of “Naur”

“Naur” is the word “no” spoken with an Australian accent. It’s the literal spelling of how someone with an Australian accent says the word “no,” poking a bit of fun at the drawn-out and nasally-sounding word.^{[1]
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- You’ll likely see “naur” mainly on social media, since the slang word spread like a wildfire over platforms like TikTok and Twitter.

Section 2 of 3:

“Naur” Meanings

1
“Naur” can literally just mean “no.” If you go to Australia, chances are you’ll hear “naur” quite often, just like you would hear “no” in the US. There’s nothing special about it here, aside from the fact that it gets an extra syllable compared to when it’s said with an American accent and is spelled a bit differently when typed out.
- “Naur, I don’t think I’m going to school today.”
- “Naur, I’d rather not do that.”
- “Naur way. I don’t believe you.”
2
“Naur” can be a very strong “no.” It’s like saying “no” but with about five exclamation points after it. People can use “naur” to express some very strong emotions, usually along the lines of dislike or disapproval.^{[2]
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- “Naur, why would you do that?”
- “Naur!! I’m not doing it!”
- “Naur you can’t!”
3
“Naur” can also be used in place of “know.” Both “no” and “know” have the same pronunciation, so it makes sense that “naur” can be used to represent both.^{[3]
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- “I don’t naur, why don’t you ask him?”
- “Do you naur the answer?”
- “Naur, I don’t naur why she did that.”

Section 3 of 3:

How to Use “Naur”

1
Use “naur” when you want to be a bit dramatic. Let everyone know just how upset or frustrated you are by using “naur.” Adding a few extra r’s at the end can also help in getting across the message that you’re seriously feeling let down.^{[4]
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- “Oh naurrrrr!”
- “Naur I lost my game!”
- “Naurrr why would you do that??”
2
Be extra whiny towards someone by using “naur.” Something about the super drawn out sound paired with that sort of nasally tone just makes “naur” perfect to use when you want to whine, either through text or out loud.
- “Naur I don’t want to!”
- “Naurrr don’t go!”
- “Naur mate you just don’t get it.”
3
Use “naur” to let others know you’re being sarcastic. “Naur” also carries a bit of mockery with it when it’s used, so you can definitely use it to be a bit sarcastic with your friends.
- “Oh naur. So sad.”
- “Naurrrr don’t do that haha.”
- “Oh naurrr what am I gonna do now?”
4
Turn any words that rhyme with “no” Australian by replacing the ‘o’ with ‘aur.’ You’ll likely end up with some pretty hilarious sentences that will probably be even more fun to say out loud.
- “Naur I don’t want to gaur.” = “No I don’t want to go.”
- “Oaur naur, a mosquitaur.” = “Oh no, a mosquito.”
- “Naur, don’t gaur out in the snaur.” = “No, don’t go out in the snow.”