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
Such a force would be desperately vulnerable, while not really strengthening Ukraine.
—
Anatol Lieven, Time, 28 Nov. 2025
Chase Daniel, who played for six NFL teams (including the Chiefs), threw out the idea that the NFL was trying to show that the officials are not really biased toward KC.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 28 Nov. 2025
The most important thing is the quality of food, not really what the food is.
—Renée Onque, CNBC, 26 Nov. 2025
Stoic and unflappable as always, Kon Knueppel didn’t exactly smile wryly or offer up much of a bodily reaction because that’s not really in his makeup.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 26 Nov. 2025
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Anatol Lieven, Time, 28 Nov. 2025
Chase Daniel, who played for six NFL teams (including the Chiefs), threw out the idea that the NFL was trying to show that the officials are not really biased toward KC.
—Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 28 Nov. 2025
The most important thing is the quality of food, not really what the food is.
—Renée Onque, CNBC, 26 Nov. 2025
Stoic and unflappable as always, Kon Knueppel didn’t exactly smile wryly or offer up much of a bodily reaction because that’s not really in his makeup.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 26 Nov. 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 29 Nov. 2025.
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