not

1 of 2

adverb

ˈnät 

1

—used as a function word to make negative a group of words or a word

2

—used as a function word to stand for the negative of a preceding group of words

is sometimes hard to see and sometimes not

NOT

2 of 2

noun

ˈnät 

: a logical operator (see operator sense 3a) that produces a statement that is the inverse (see inverse entry 2 sense 3a) of an input statement

Example Sentences

Adverb

He was standing not six feet away from me.

The bullet passed not five inches from my head!

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb

Locals sign up for the event, but don't be surprised if celebrities make an appearance. Jessica Hice, Indianapolis Star, 6 July 2017

Can't wait to see this come to life on the big screen. Sarah Wu, Teen Vogue, 6 July 2017

Exercise isn’t boring with these four innovative (and wacky) fitness routines. Alexandra Sifferlin, Time, 6 July 2017

Veil survived the Holocaust, but her mother, father and brother did not. Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, 6 July 2017

And the bloodbath won’t end soon: this winter, a report by Moody’s Investors Service found that debt maturities were on their way to record levels in the next five years. Phil Wahba, PEOPLE.com, 6 July 2017

The June coaching change didn't sacrifice a good recruiting class. Bill Landis, cleveland.com, 6 July 2017

Still, as Deadline noted on Friday, True Detective has not received the formal green light for a third season. Esquire Editors, Esquire, 6 July 2017

Their joint celebration on the Fourth isn't Affleck and Garner's first reunion since filing for divorce. Erica Gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, 5 July 2017

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Word History

Etymology

Adverb

Middle English, alteration of nought, from nought, pronoun — more at naught

Noun

not

First Known Use

Adverb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1947, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing not

• absolutely not
• afraid not
• (and) not before time (too)
• as often as not
• certainly not
• as like as not
• believe it or not
• be not a patch on
• fear not
• forget-me-not
• children should be seen and not heard
• do not mix
• hope not
• if it had not been for
• have-not
• if it were not for
• if not
• if not for
• is it not the case
• I think not
• it is not every day
• like as not
• it is not for lack/want of trying
• last but not least
• more often than not
• never/not in a thousand/million/billion years
• never/not dream of
• never/not miss a trick
• none/not too thrilled
• no/not later than
• no/not more than
• not all there
• not a bit of it
• not a dry eye in the house
• not a bad thing
• not a/one bit
• not a blind bit
• not a penny less/more
• not any longer
• not any good
• not a pretty sight
• not a problem
• not a sausage
• not at all
• not bad
• not bat an eye/eyelash
• not bloody likely!
• not believe
• not blame
• not by a long shot
• not by a long chalk
• not by any manner of means
• not by any means
• not care/give a fig
• not come/go amiss
• not cost a penny
• not dissimilar
• not cricket
• not especially
• not do
• not do much for
• not (even) blink
• not exactly
• not for a/one minute
• not for a/one moment
• not fool around
• not for all the tea in China
• not-for-profit
• not for (someone) to (do something)
• not getting any younger
• not give a monkey's
• not give a toss
• not half
• not give (someone) the time of day
• not half bad
• not have a hair out of place
• not have a care in the world
• not have a leg to stand on
• not have any use for
• not have it in one
• not have the faintest/slightest idea
• not have the foggiest
• not have the faintest idea/notion
• not have to be that way
• not have to
• not hear of
• not in any/a hurry
• not infrequently
• not in one's right mind
• not in someone's vocabulary
• not in the slightest
• not (in) the least
• not just
• not just/only/merely
• not just a/another pretty face
• not know beans about
• not know one's own strength
• not know someone from Adam
• not know where someone gets off
• not know the first thing about
• not know what the world is coming to
• not know whether to laugh or cry
• not likely
• not like that
• not like the look of
• not like the sound of (something)
• not look a day over
• not long ago
• not long for this world
• not make any difference
• not make heads or/nor tails (out) of
• not many
• not mean a damn
• not merely
• not mince (one's) words
• not much call for
• not much
• not much cop
• not much good
• not much good at
• not much of a
• not necessarily
• not much on
• not nearly
• not much to look at
• not one person
• not on any account
• not one red cent
• not on your life
• not particularly
• not pay any attention to
• not pay (someone) any mind
• not really
• not right in the head
• not rightly
• not say/breathe a word
• not see the wood for the trees
• not see the forest for the trees
• not sit with
• not sleep a wink
• not someone's concern
• not someone's problem
• not someone's style
• not speak a word
• not someone's type
• not swear to it
• not speak a word of
• not take any chances
• not take no for an answer
• not that one knows of
• not the end of the world
• not the faintest interest
• not the only fish in the sea
• not think anything of
• not to be missed
• not think much of
• not to mention
• not to be sniffed at
• not (too) shabby
• not to put too fine a point on it
• not to say
• not touch a drop
• not touch (someone or something) with a bargepole
• not touch (someone or something) with a ten-foot pole
• not turn a hair
• not to worry
• not under any circumstances/under no circumstances
• not under any obligation
• not unless
• not until
• not unlike
• not up to expectations
• not up to much
• not wearing a stitch (of clothes/clothing)
• not utter a word
• not worry oneself
• not worth a damn
• not worth a darn
• not worth the candle
• not worth the paper it's written/printed on
• of course not
• one's heart is (just) not in something
• that's not to say
• time is not on someone's side
• used not to
• whether or not
• waste not, want not
• not a moment too soon
• not fool about
• never/not hear the end of it
• not bat an eyelid
• not make head or/nor tail of
• not amount to much
• not for want of
• in the not too distant future
• not called for
• not inconsiderable
• not see why not
• not in the same league
• not so fast
• nothing if not
• not so long ago
• not on
• not someone's scene
• not badly
• not so much (something) as (something else)
• I kid you not
• not least
• not that it matters
• not have a stitch on
• definitely not
• wittingly or not
• not for the squeamish
• not the type
• must not
• that's not saying much
• not for the faint of heart
• touch-me-not
• not cost a dime/nickel
• not (in) the least/smallest/slightest/tiniest bit
• not infrequent
• not that I mind
• not get a wink of sleep
• not making much sense
• not that
• not long for

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• absolutely not
• afraid not
• (and) not before time (too)
• as often as not
• certainly not
• as like as not
• believe it or not
• be not a patch on
• fear not
• forget-me-not
• children should be seen and not heard
• do not mix
• hope not
• if it had not been for
• have-not
• if it were not for
• if not
• if not for
• is it not the case
• I think not
• it is not every day
• like as not
• it is not for lack/want of trying
• last but not least
• more often than not
• never/not in a thousand/million/billion years
• never/not dream of
• never/not miss a trick
• none/not too thrilled
• no/not later than
• no/not more than
• not all there
• not a bit of it
• not a dry eye in the house
• not a bad thing
• not a/one bit
• not a blind bit
• not a penny less/more
• not any longer
• not any good
• not a pretty sight
• not a problem
• not a sausage
• not at all
• not bad
• not bat an eye/eyelash
• not bloody likely!
• not believe
• not blame
• not by a long shot
• not by a long chalk
• not by any manner of means
• not by any means
• not care/give a fig
• not come/go amiss
• not cost a penny
• not dissimilar
• not cricket
• not especially
• not do
• not do much for
• not (even) blink
• not exactly
• not for a/one minute
• not for a/one moment
• not fool around
• not for all the tea in China
• not-for-profit
• not for (someone) to (do something)
• not getting any younger
• not give a monkey's
• not give a toss
• not half
• not give (someone) the time of day
• not half bad
• not have a hair out of place
• not have a care in the world
• not have a leg to stand on
• not have any use for
• not have it in one
• not have the faintest/slightest idea
• not have the foggiest
• not have the faintest idea/notion
• not have to be that way
• not have to
• not hear of
• not in any/a hurry
• not infrequently
• not in one's right mind
• not in someone's vocabulary
• not in the slightest
• not (in) the least
• not just
• not just/only/merely
• not just a/another pretty face
• not know beans about
• not know one's own strength
• not know someone from Adam
• not know where someone gets off
• not know the first thing about
• not know what the world is coming to
• not know whether to laugh or cry
• not likely
• not like that
• not like the look of
• not like the sound of (something)
• not look a day over
• not long ago
• not long for this world
• not make any difference
• not make heads or/nor tails (out) of
• not many
• not mean a damn
• not merely
• not mince (one's) words
• not much call for
• not much
• not much cop
• not much good
• not much good at
• not much of a
• not necessarily
• not much on
• not nearly
• not much to look at
• not one person
• not on any account
• not one red cent
• not on your life
• not particularly
• not pay any attention to
• not pay (someone) any mind
• not really
• not right in the head
• not rightly
• not say/breathe a word
• not see the wood for the trees
• not see the forest for the trees
• not sit with
• not sleep a wink
• not someone's concern
• not someone's problem
• not someone's style
• not speak a word
• not someone's type
• not swear to it
• not speak a word of
• not take any chances
• not take no for an answer
• not that one knows of
• not the end of the world
• not the faintest interest
• not the only fish in the sea
• not think anything of
• not to be missed
• not think much of
• not to mention
• not to be sniffed at
• not (too) shabby
• not to put too fine a point on it
• not to say
• not touch a drop
• not touch (someone or something) with a bargepole
• not touch (someone or something) with a ten-foot pole
• not turn a hair
• not to worry
• not under any circumstances/under no circumstances
• not under any obligation
• not unless
• not until
• not unlike
• not up to expectations
• not up to much
• not wearing a stitch (of clothes/clothing)
• not utter a word
• not worry oneself
• not worth a damn
• not worth a darn
• not worth the candle
• not worth the paper it's written/printed on
• of course not
• one's heart is (just) not in something
• that's not to say
• time is not on someone's side
• used not to
• whether or not
• waste not, want not
• not a moment too soon
• not fool about
• never/not hear the end of it
• not bat an eyelid
• not make head or/nor tail of
• not amount to much
• not for want of
• in the not too distant future
• not called for
• not inconsiderable
• not see why not
• not in the same league
• not so fast
• nothing if not
• not so long ago
• not on
• not someone's scene
• not badly
• not so much (something) as (something else)
• I kid you not
• not least
• not that it matters
• not have a stitch on
• definitely not
• wittingly or not
• not for the squeamish
• not the type
• must not
• that's not saying much
• not for the faint of heart
• touch-me-not
• not cost a dime/nickel
• not (in) the least/smallest/slightest/tiniest bit
• not infrequent
• not that I mind
• not get a wink of sleep
• not making much sense
• not that
• not long for

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Kids Definition

not

adverb

(ˈ)nät 

1

—used to make a word or group of words negative

the books are not here

2

—used to stand for the negative of a group of words that comes before

is sometimes hard to see and sometimes not