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
Meloni was not necessarily pursuing significant adaptations during the four-week session.
—
Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 31 May 2025
Accusations raised in a civil complaint are not necessarily true, and whether a plaintiff can support the accusations with evidence and testimony are key factors that will take time to play out.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 30 May 2025
The findings were not necessarily a surprise, either, because humpbacks are known to feed, mate and give birth along their migratory corridor, says Olaf Meynecke, a marine scientist at Griffith University who was not involved with the study, to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 May 2025
Things have the facade of change but do not necessarily really change.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for not necessarily
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Fluto Shinzawa, New York Times, 31 May 2025
Accusations raised in a civil complaint are not necessarily true, and whether a plaintiff can support the accusations with evidence and testimony are key factors that will take time to play out.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 30 May 2025
The findings were not necessarily a surprise, either, because humpbacks are known to feed, mate and give birth along their migratory corridor, says Olaf Meynecke, a marine scientist at Griffith University who was not involved with the study, to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 May 2025
Things have the facade of change but do not necessarily really change.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 20 May 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 5 Jun. 2025.
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