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.
And even billionaires are responding to the growing wealth divide between the haves and have-nots. Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 9 Jan. 2026 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 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 11 Jan. 2026.

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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