Meanings
alternative the computer says no
- humorousAlluding to an attitude where decisions are based solely on the output of a computer system, apparently without using common sense and without any desire to help, especially in customer or public service.
The immigration minister has said she wants to change the “computer says no” culture of the Home Office, after being confronted with evidence that up to 1,000 highly skilled immigrants face being deported for minor errors on their tax forms.
2018 May 8, Heather Stewart, “Immigration minister wants to end 'computer says no' culture at Home Office”, in The Guardian, →ISSN
Origin
From the British sketch comedy series Little Britain (2004), where it was the catchphrase of the character Carol Beer, a bank worker and later holiday rep and hospital receptionist, who dealt with customer enquiries by typing them into her computer and responding with computer says no.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Dutch computer zegt nee
- computer zegt neepopular phrase for an attitude in customer service
Russian компьютер говорит нет
- компьютер говорит нет (kompʹjuter govorit net)popular phrase for an attitude in customer service
Cite this entry
computer says no. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/computer%20says%20no
“computer says no.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/computer%20says%20no. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “computer says no,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/computer%20says%20no.
Source: computer says no on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.