nolo contendere

/ˈnoʊloʊ kənˈtɛndəɹiː/

noun

Synonym of no contest (“a plea by a defendant accused of a crime that, without admitting guilt, does not dispute the charge”)

Similar
no contestnon vult
OriginLatin nōlō contendere →
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Meanings

nounnolo contendere (plural nolo contenderes)

plural nolo contenderes

  1. lawSynonym of no contest (“a plea by a defendant accused of a crime that, without admitting guilt, does not dispute the charge”)

    Synonyms: no contest

Synonyms & antonyms

nounSynonym of no contest (“a plea by a defendant accused of a crime that, without admitting guilt, does not dispute the charge”)

Similar
no contest

More synonyms by meaning

noun(law) an answer of ‘no contest’ by a defendant who does not admit guilt but subjects them to conviction

Similar
non vult
Broader
answer
Also see
no contest

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latinnōlō contendere“I do not wish to contend”
  2. Englishnolo contendere

Directly from Latin nōlō contendere (“I do not wish to contend”).

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

nolo contendere. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nolo%20contendere

MLA

“nolo contendere.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nolo%20contendere. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “nolo contendere,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nolo%20contendere.

Source: nolo contendere on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.