Nil vs. Zero — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on September 18, 2023
"Nil" is often used to indicate a lack or absence, especially in British English and in sports, while "zero" is a numerical value representing nothing. Nil has a qualitative aspect; zero is more quantitative and universal in mathematics.
Difference Between Nil and Zero
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
"Nil" and "zero" both indicate a lack or absence of something, but they are used in slightly different contexts. Nil is commonly used in British English and often has qualitative implications, like "nil effect." Zero, however, is strictly a numerical value that is universally understood, especially in mathematics and science.
When discussing scores, especially in sports, the term "nil" is commonly used to indicate that a team has not scored. Zero can also be used in this context, but it's less common. While "nil" conveys absence or non-existence in a specific situation, "zero" serves as a foundational concept in mathematics, representing a number with no value in arithmetic.
From a grammatical perspective, "nil" is primarily used as a noun or an adjective, and sometimes as an adverb. Zero is more versatile, serving as a noun, adjective, and even a verb in expressions like "zero in." Moreover, "zero" can be pluralized as "zeros," while "nil" remains unchanged in plural form.
Lastly, "nil" and "zero" have different cultural connotations. "Nil" is often viewed as a more casual term, particularly in everyday speech in some English-speaking countries. "Zero," however, is a standard term in academic and technical fields, making it more formal and universally applicable.
Comparison Chart
Usage
Common in British English
Universal, especially in math
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Grammatical Role
Noun, Adjective, Adverb
Noun, Adjective, Verb
Plurality
Does not change in plural
Can be pluralized as "zeros"
Context
Sports, Qualitative
Mathematics, Quantitative
Formality
Often more casual
More formal and technical
Compare with Definitions
Nil
A term denoting absence or lack.
The team's chances of winning are nil.
Zero
Robust and powerful in action.
She led a vigorous workout session.
Nil
Zero, especially in British English.
The final score was three to nil.
Zero
The numerical symbol 0; a cipher.
Nil
Nothing; nonexistent.
There was nil effort from him.
Zero
The identity element for addition.
Nil
Having no value or relevance.
The effect was nil.
Zero
A cardinal number indicating the absence of any or all units under consideration.
Nil
Nothing; zero.
Zero
An ordinal number indicating an initial point or origin.
Nil
Nothing; zero.
Zero
An argument at which the value of a function vanishes.
Nil
(sports) A score of zero
The football match ended in a nil-nil draw.
Zero
The temperature indicated by the numeral 0 on a thermometer.
Nil
No, not any.
Zero
A sight setting that enables a firearm to shoot on target.
Nil
Will not.
Zero
(Informal) One having no influence or importance; a nonentity
A manager who was a total zero.
Nil
Nothing; of no account; worthless; - a term often used for canceling, in accounts or bookkeeping.
Zero
The lowest point
His prospects were approaching zero.
Nil
A special value for a variable used in certain computer languages to mean no assigned value, to be distinguished from the value zero.
Zero
(Informal) Nothing; nil
Today I accomplished zero.
Nil
A quantity of no importance;
It looked like nothing I had ever seen before
Reduced to nil all the work we had done
We racked up a pathetic goose egg
It was all for naught
I didn't hear zilch about it
Zero
Of, relating to, or being zero.
Nil
Used to express negation.
He gave nil support to the cause.
Zero
Having no measurable or otherwise determinable value.
Zero
(Informal) Not any; no
"The town has ... practically no opportunities for amusement, zero culture" (Robert M. Adams).
Zero
Designating a ceiling not more than 16 meters (52 feet) high.
Zero
Limited in horizontal visibility to no more than 55 meters (180 feet).
Zero
(Linguistics) Of or relating to a morpheme that is expected by an established, regular paradigm but has no spoken or written form. Moose has a zero plural; that is, its plural is moose.
Zero
To adjust (an instrument or a device) to zero value.
Zero
The cardinal number occurring before one and that denotes no quantity or amount at all, represented in Arabic numerals as 0.
The conductor waited until the passenger count was zero.
A cheque for zero dollars and zero cents crashed the computers on division by zero.
Zero
The numeric symbol that represents the cardinal number zero.
In unary and k-adic notation in general, zero is the empty string.
Write 0.0 to indicate a floating point number rather than the integer zero.
The zero sign in American Sign Language is considered rude in some cultures.
Zero
The digit 0 in the decimal, binary, and all other base numbering systems.
One million has six zeroes.
Zero
Nothing, or none.
The shipment was lost, so they had zero in stock.
He knows zero about humour.
In the end, all of our hard work amounted to zero.
Zero
The value of a magnitude corresponding to the cardinal number zero.
The electromagnetic field does not drop all of the way to zero before a reversal.
Zero
The point on a scale at which numbering or measurement originates.
The temperature outside is ten degrees below zero.
Zero
(mathematics) A value of the independent variables of a function, for which the function is equal to zero.
The zeroes of a polynomial are its roots by the fundamental theorem of algebra.
The derivative of a continuous, differentiable function that twice crosses the axis must have a zero.
The nontrivial zeros of the Riemann zeta function may all lie on the critical line.
Zero
The additive identity element of a monoid or greater algebraic structure, particularly a group or ring.
Since a commutative zero is the inverse of any additive identity, it must be unique when it exists.
The zero (of a ring or field) has the property that the product of the zero with any element yields the zero.
The quotient ring over a maximal ideal is a field with a single zero element.
Zero
(slang) A person of little or no importance.
They rudely treated him like a zero.
Zero
(military) A Mitsubishi A6M Zero, a long range fighter aircraft operated by the Japanese Navy Air Service from 1940 to 1945.
Zero
A setting of calibrated instruments such as a firearm, corresponding to a zero value.
Zero
(finance) A security which has a zero coupon (paying no periodic interest).
The takeovers were financed by issuing zeroes.
Zero
(informal) No, not any.
She showed zero respect.
Zero
(meteorology) Of a cloud ceiling, limiting vision to 50 feet (15 meters) or less.
Zero
(meteorology) Of horizontal visibility, limited to 165 feet (50.3 meters) or less.
Zero
(linguistics) Present at an abstract level, but not realized in the surface form.
The stem of "kobieta" with the zero ending is "kobiet".
Zero
(transitive) To set a measuring instrument to zero; to calibrate an instrument scale to valid zero.
Zero the fluorometer with the same solvent used in extraction.
George parked in space 34, zeroed the trip meter, closed and locked his car, then went back to the guard shack.
Zero
To change a memory location or range to values of zero; to set a variable in a computer program to zero.
Results were inconsistent because an array wasn’t zeroed during initialization.
Zero
(transitive) To cause or set some value or amount to be zero.
They tried to zero the budget by the end of the quarter.
The bill was over $400, but the server zeroed it out as a gesture of gratitude.
Zero
(transitive) To eliminate; to delete; to overwrite with zeros.
Zero
(intransitive) To disappear.
Zero
A cipher; nothing; naught.
Zero
The point from which the graduation of a scale, as of a thermometer, commences.
Zero
Fig.: The lowest point; the point of exhaustion; as, his patience had nearly reached zero.
Zero
A quantity of no importance;
It looked like nothing I had ever seen before
Reduced to nil all the work we had done
We racked up a pathetic goose egg
It was all for naught
I didn't hear zilch about it
Zero
A mathematical element that when added to another number yields the same number
Zero
The quantity that registers a reading of zero on a scale
Zero
Adjust (an instrument or device) to zero value
Zero
Adjust (as by firing under test conditions) the zero of (a gun);
He zeroed in his rifle at 200 yards
Zero
Indicating the absence of any or all units under consideration;
A zero score
Zero
Indicating an initial point or origin
Zero
Of or relating to the null set (a set with no members)
Zero
Having no measurable or otherwise determinable value;
The goal is zero population growth
Zero
Full of energy and enthusiasm.
He made a vigorous attempt to win the race.
Zero
Strong and active; forceful.
The plant displayed vigorous growth.
Zero
Intense and spirited.
The debate became quite vigorous.
Zero
Healthy and dynamic.
After the illness, he made a vigorous recovery.
Common Curiosities
Is a rigorous inspection always better?
Not necessarily; it depends on context. Some situations demand thoroughness, others require energy.
Can a task be both rigorous and vigorous?
Yes, a task can be performed with thoroughness (rigorous) and energy (vigorous).
Do rigorous and vigorous mean the same?
No, rigorous implies thoroughness or strictness, while vigorous denotes energy or forcefulness.
Can rigorous be used to describe weather?
Yes, e.g., rigorous cold implies an extreme, harsh cold.
Does vigorous only relate to physical activities?
No, vigorous can refer to both physical and non-physical activities that are done with energy.
Can a person be described as vigorous?
Yes, a person can be vigorous if they're energetic and full of life.
Is rigorous always about strict rules?
Not always, but it often implies thoroughness or exactness in various contexts.
Can music be vigorous?
Yes, music can be vigorous if it's energetic and forceful.
Does a rigorous approach guarantee accuracy?
Not always, but it aims to achieve thoroughness and precision.
Is vigorous always a positive adjective?
Mostly, but context matters. Vigorous growth in weeds, for example, might not be seen as positive.
Is a vigorous debate loud?
Not necessarily. Vigorous implies intensity and energy, not volume.
Can a workout be both rigorous and vigorous?
Yes, a workout can be thorough and precise (rigorous) while also being intense and energetic (vigorous).
Which is more about quality: rigorous or vigorous?
Rigorous often relates more to quality in terms of thoroughness and precision.
Does rigorous apply to academic research?
Yes, rigorous research implies meticulous methods and standards.
Is vigorous related to vitality?
Yes, both terms denote energy and life force.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
