not really
idiom
—used to say "no" in a way that is not very forceful or definite
"Was the movie good?" "Not really."
"Do you want to go to a movie?" "No, not really."
Examples of not really in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The question facing our country is not really about documents or borders.
—
David Alvarado, Time, 15 Dec. 2025
A lot of these stars would be in those kinds of movies, and now they’re not really given the theatrical treatment in the same way.
—Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 15 Dec. 2025
While Nabisco suggests that these cookies are healthy (or, at least, healthier than an average cookie), dietitians say that’s not really the case.
—Korin Miller, SELF, 15 Dec. 2025
So Bangladesh’s buyers do not really consider safety as a key competitiveness factor.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 15 Dec. 2025
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David Alvarado, Time, 15 Dec. 2025
A lot of these stars would be in those kinds of movies, and now they’re not really given the theatrical treatment in the same way.
—Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 15 Dec. 2025
While Nabisco suggests that these cookies are healthy (or, at least, healthier than an average cookie), dietitians say that’s not really the case.
—Korin Miller, SELF, 15 Dec. 2025
So Bangladesh’s buyers do not really consider safety as a key competitiveness factor.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 15 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for not really
Cite this Entry
“Not really.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/not%20really. Accessed 24 Dec. 2025.
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