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 views expressed here are his own and do not necessarily reflect the official position of the Bowen School of Law or UALR.
—
Arkansas Online, 9 Jan. 2026
This week, some of those indicators have fallen, but the CDC says that does not necessarily mean the season has reached its peak.
—Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 9 Jan. 2026
The Rock Hall has put in artists who were not necessarily commercial juggernauts, but who were crucially important to the evolution of rock and roll.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2026
The views and opinions expressed in this column are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect those of USA TODAY.
—Josh Roberts, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for not necessarily
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Arkansas Online, 9 Jan. 2026
This week, some of those indicators have fallen, but the CDC says that does not necessarily mean the season has reached its peak.
—Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 9 Jan. 2026
The Rock Hall has put in artists who were not necessarily commercial juggernauts, but who were crucially important to the evolution of rock and roll.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2026
The views and opinions expressed in this column are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect those of USA TODAY.
—Josh Roberts, USA Today, 8 Jan. 2026
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 10 Jan. 2026.
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