never

adverb

nev·​er ˈne-vər 

1

: not ever : at no time

I never met her

2

: not in any degree : not under any condition

never the wiser for his experience

Synonyms

• not

Examples of never in a Sentence

I will never shop at that store again.

I have never seen that happen before.

That man has never heard of you.

We will never forget what we saw.

You never know what you'll find at a flea market.

I never meant to hurt you.

She never really said that.

There is never enough time to finish our work.

Never in my whole life have I been so offended!

I gave him my business for years and never for one moment did I suspect that he was a criminal.

Recent Examples on the Web

Now, these Blue Jays, armed with a new edge and a never-say-die attitude find themselves on the brink of a legacy all on their own. —Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 13 Oct. 2025

Apparently, the immigrant is only visible when bowed by suffering, never when standing on the shoulders of sacrifice. —Sofía Pereda, USA Today, 13 Oct. 2025

Wounded and bewildered, Theresa vows—silently—never to have that feeling again, never to be at anyone else’s mercy. —Hilton Als, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025

In 2021, then-President Joe Biden proclaimed that Indigenous Peoples Day would be celebrated on the second Monday in October, though the holiday was never officially changed. —Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English nǣfre, from ne not + ǣfre ever — more at no

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing never

• almost never
• a watched pot never boils
• it never fails
• it never rains but it pours
• lightning never strikes (the same place) twice
• never a dull moment
• never again
• never batted an eye
• never cease to amaze
• never dreamt
• never-ending
• never ever
• never fear
• never for one moment
• never had it so good
• never in someone's life
• never looked back
• never mind
• never-never land
• never/not dream of
• never/not hear the end of it
• never/not in a thousand/million/billion years
• never/not miss a trick
• never say die
• never say never
• never so much as
• never the twain shall meet
• never the wiser
• never to return
• never you mind
• well, I never
• will never do
• Will wonders never cease
• wonders never cease
• would never dream of
• you'll never know
• you never know

Rhymes for never

• bever
• clever
• ever
• haver
• lever
• rever
• sever
• cantilever
• howsoever
• whatsoever
• whensoever
• wheresoever

Kids Definition

never

adverb

nev·​er ˈnev-ər 

1

: not ever : at no time

I never saw it before

never had a sick day in my life

2

: not to any extent or in any way

never fear