not necessarily
idiom
: possibly but not certainly
—used to say that something is not definitely true
Seats in the front row are not necessarily the best.
"We're going to lose this game." "Not necessarily."
Examples of not necessarily in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The players Villa ended up with at the end of the window were not necessarily first choices, with Elliott the case in point.
—
Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
Key Takeaways While not necessarily unhealthy, Cheerios does contain a fair amount of carbohydrates, which can cause a blood sugar spike for some.
—Patty Weasler, Verywell Health, 23 Oct. 2025
Some of these peoples are collectively known as Taíno, which does not necessarily describe a specific group but rather is an adjective, loosely defined as noble or good.
—Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of TIME editors.
—Time, 23 Oct. 2025
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Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
Key Takeaways While not necessarily unhealthy, Cheerios does contain a fair amount of carbohydrates, which can cause a blood sugar spike for some.
—Patty Weasler, Verywell Health, 23 Oct. 2025
Some of these peoples are collectively known as Taíno, which does not necessarily describe a specific group but rather is an adjective, loosely defined as noble or good.
—Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of TIME editors.
—Time, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for not necessarily
Cite this Entry
“Not necessarily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/not%20necessarily. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.
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