never

adverb

nev·​er ˈne-vər How to pronounce never (audio)
Synonyms of nevernext
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 of never

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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
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.
Berman, who has never constructed a building from the ground up, told me his willingness to work around such constraints was his competitive edge. — Andrew Rice, Curbed, 23 July 2026 Garcia never stepped on the brakes before the SUV hit the tree; only the vehicle’s accelerator was applied, according to the DA’s Office. — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 23 July 2026 Former Washburn player Jacob Hanna, who never lost a game in Lee Arena in his Ichabod career, had 12 points and six rebounds. — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 23 July 2026 One thing to keep in mind is that one negative response to a food does not mean that the child will never accept that food again. — Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 22 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for never

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of never was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing never

Rhymes for never

See All Rhymes for never

Browse Nearby Words

Nevelson
never
never a dull moment
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Never.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/never. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

never

adverb
nev·​er ˈnev-ər How to pronounce never (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on never

Nglish: Translation of never for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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