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.
The transfer portal and NIL money were taking over, the haves and have-nots further separated. Greg Cote updated March 23, Miami Herald, 23 Mar. 2026 The window to act — before the gap between AI haves and have-nots becomes unbridgeable — is closing fast. Sha Rabii, Fortune, 19 Mar. 2026 The financial gap between the NCAA’s haves and have-nots is growing wider every year, and new player pay/mobility have further allowed schools like Alabama to flex their advantages. Scott Soshnick, Sportico.com, 19 Mar. 2026 The problem is that there might be historically few at-large berths available to mid-major conferences as the preposterous sums of money coursing through the sport accentuates the divide between the haves and have-nots. Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 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 27 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

have-not

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

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