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
So at the end of the day the savings is not really that much.
—
Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 5 Feb. 2026
Most of us are not really prepared for an emergency.
—Terri Daxon, Oc Register, 5 Feb. 2026
There’s Harry’s feud with everyone, but not really with King Charles, but maybe still with King Charles?
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 5 Feb. 2026
Beyond that, there is not really a strategy.
—Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026
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Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 5 Feb. 2026
Most of us are not really prepared for an emergency.
—Terri Daxon, Oc Register, 5 Feb. 2026
There’s Harry’s feud with everyone, but not really with King Charles, but maybe still with King Charles?
—Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 5 Feb. 2026
Beyond that, there is not really a strategy.
—Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 31 Jan. 2026
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 13 Feb. 2026.
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