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
This deeply felt film, directed by Roger Mitchell, has a beautiful performance by Amanda Root as Anne, unsure of her world but not necessarily intimidated.
—
Tom Gliatto, People.com, 19 July 2025
To win voters that way is not necessarily to hold them.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 18 July 2025
Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of TIME editors.
—Time, 7 July 2025
Under this thinking, the U.S. has gotten used to outperforming global markets for years, so a months-long reversal is not necessarily catastrophic.
—Rafael Nam, NPR, 7 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for not necessarily
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Tom Gliatto, People.com, 19 July 2025
To win voters that way is not necessarily to hold them.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 18 July 2025
Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of TIME editors.
—Time, 7 July 2025
Under this thinking, the U.S. has gotten used to outperforming global markets for years, so a months-long reversal is not necessarily catastrophic.
—Rafael Nam, NPR, 7 July 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 23 Jul. 2025.
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