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

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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.
All views expressed in this piece are those of Corient Private Wealth LLC and do not necessarily reflect the views of Forbes. Heather L. Locus, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026 An important note is that failure does not necessarily equate to jail time or death or complete self-destruction. Literary Hub, 23 Jan. 2026 This is an opinion and analysis article, and the views expressed by the author or authors are not necessarily those of Scientific American. Katy Huff, Scientific American, 23 Jan. 2026 That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 23 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for not necessarily

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Cite this Entry

“Not necessarily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/not%20necessarily. Accessed 25 Jan. 2026.

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