have-not

noun

ˈhav-ˌnät How to pronounce have-not (audio)
-ˈnät
Synonyms of have-notnext
: one that is poor especially in material wealth

Examples of have-not in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Trepidation over what the IPOs will do to affordability in the region is quickly making San Francisco a tale of two cities--one of the stocks-haves and have-nots. Martine Paris, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026 Often, football is described as a game of haves and have-nots. Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 11 June 2026 Because once a workforce splits into AI haves and have-nots, rebuilding organizational trust becomes far harder than deploying technology in the first place. Matt Rosenbaum, Fortune, 29 May 2026 Set in the lush forests and fields of northeastern France, this excitingly offbeat first feature from Sarah Arnold depicts a gory factional war between hunters and farmers, haves and have-nots, with one depressed fish-out-of-water gendarme caught in the middle. David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for have-not

Word History

First Known Use

1836, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of have-not was in 1836

Cite this Entry

“Have-not.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/have-not. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

have-not

noun
ˈhav-ˌnät
-ˈnät
: one that is poor in material wealth

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