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
The consensus seems to be, perhaps a little bit, but not really.
—
Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 27 Feb. 2026
There is an instinctual thing — an unspoken and not really understood connection there.
—Arushi Jacob, Variety, 27 Feb. 2026
The president is not really a notice-and-comment kind of guy.
—Rogé Karma, The Atlantic, 20 Feb. 2026
Many Americans came to depend on the subsidies, which were simply patches over the gaps in a health care system that may feel duct-taped together, and not really working for patients, providers or insurers.
—Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for not really
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Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 27 Feb. 2026
There is an instinctual thing — an unspoken and not really understood connection there.
—Arushi Jacob, Variety, 27 Feb. 2026
The president is not really a notice-and-comment kind of guy.
—Rogé Karma, The Atlantic, 20 Feb. 2026
Many Americans came to depend on the subsidies, which were simply patches over the gaps in a health care system that may feel duct-taped together, and not really working for patients, providers or insurers.
—Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 17 Feb. 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 2 Mar. 2026.
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