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have-not

noun

ˈhav-ˌnät How to pronounce have-not (audio)
-ˈnät
: 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.
And the divide between the haves and have-nots seems to grow, especially as power conference teams can pay for recruits and use the transfer portal to raid lower levels — including the FCS. Seth Emerson, New York Times, 19 Nov. 2025 Meanwhile, big companies continue to see a widening split between the haves and have-nots. Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 18 Nov. 2025 The growing differences between the haves and have-nots is important in explaining which retailers are on the rise now and which ones will win in the future — and just where the economy and the country is headed. Evan Clark, Footwear News, 14 Nov. 2025 Based on the video game from Bethesda Game Studios, Fallout is the story of haves and have-nots in a world in which there’s almost nothing left to have. Denise Petski, Deadline, 13 Nov. 2025 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 2 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

have-not

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

More from Merriam-Webster on have-not

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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