Synonyms of negative

negative 1 of 3

adjective

1

as in hostile

marked by opposition or ill will

classes that hopefully will change the negative attitude that some students have toward the recent immigrants

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hostile
• adverse
• unfavorable
• unpleasant
• contentious
• antagonistic
• conflicting
• opposed
• unfriendly
• adversarial
• inhospitable
• adversary
• antipathetic
• inimical
• unsympathetic
• jaundiced
• mortal
• contrary
• militant
• malicious
• icy
• frigid
• resisting
• disagreeable
• belligerent
• combative
• rude
• antisocial
• biased
• pugnacious
• distant
• hateful
• bellicose
• cold
• disapproving
• unkind
• argumentative
• clashing
• bitter
• scrappy
• quarrelsome
• truculent
• malignant
• spiteful
• disputatious
• virulent
• prejudiced
• discourteous
• vindictive
• surly
• cool
• inconsiderate
• malevolent
• unsociable
• impolite
• malign
• uncivil
• acrimonious
• unmannerly
• unloving
• impertinent
• opprobrious
• rancorous
• ill-mannered
• despiteful
• ill-bred

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• sympathetic
• social
• friendly
• pleasant
• hospitable
• civil
• warm
• amiable
• gracious
• cordial
• amicable
• gregarious
• favorable
• kind
• nonhostile
• genial
• nonantagonistic
• neighborly
• affable
• loving
• convivial
• sociable
• sweet
• nice
• affectionate
• companionable
• benign
• kindly
• good-natured
• devoted
• accepting
• agreeable
• empathetic
• understanding
• good-tempered
• comradely
• welcoming
• approving
• warmhearted

2

as in unfavorable

opposed to one's interests

the almost universally negative reaction to the book

Synonyms & Similar Words

• unfavorable
• adverse
• hostile
• harmful
• detrimental
• damaging
• destructive
• bad
• threatening
• prejudicial
• unfriendly
• disadvantageous
• counter
• inimical
• unsympathetic
• dangerous
• hazardous
• untoward
• risky
• conflicting
• poisonous
• offensive
• evil
• deleterious
• troublesome
• opposing
• hurtful
• malignant
• pernicious
• injurious
• unsafe
• lethal
• baneful
• unhealthy
• fatal
• noxious
• baleful
• ruinous
• ill
• murderous
• antagonistic
• slanderous
• perilous
• resistant
• defamatory
• scathing
• resisting
• inhospitable
• detractive
• uncongenial
• uncooperative
• intolerant
• wounding
• parlous
• antipathetic
• calumnious
• imperilling
• competing
• jeopardizing
• imperiling
• counteracting
• countering

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• positive
• favorable
• sympathetic
• supportive
• friendly
• advantageous
• good
• useful
• beneficial
• helpful
• harmless
• propitious
• innocuous
• innocent
• nondestructive
• inoffensive
• nonfatal
• nonthreatening
• well-disposed
• benign
• friendly
• tolerant
• understanding
• nonlethal
• agreeable
• congenial
• cordial
• amiable
• hospitable
• complying
• amicable
• affable
• unresistant
• benignant

negative

2 of 3

noun

1

as in veto

a vote or decision against something

in the absence of an unambiguous negative from the commander, we decided to continue on the mission

Synonyms & Similar Words

• veto
• no
• refusal
• nay
• con
• non placet
• denial
• negation
• blackball

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• positive
• yea
• pro
• approval
• acceptance
• yes
• grace

2

as in opposite

something that is as different as possible from something else

the desire to control another person is actually the negative of real love

Synonyms & Similar Words

• opposite
• contrary
• reverse
• antithesis
• counter
• obverse
• negation
• antipode
• inverse
• counterpoint
• converse
• antonym
• mirror image

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• synonym
• analog
• analogue
• counterpart
• copy
• duplicate
• replica
• carbon copy

3

as in disadvantage

a feature of someone or something that creates difficulty for achieving success

the main negative of this job is that I have to get up at 4:30 a.m.

Synonyms & Similar Words

• disadvantage
• handicap
• minus
• shortcoming
• downside
• drawback
• liability
• debit
• disbenefit
• strike
• incommodity
• obstacle
• disability
• impairment
• interference
• hurdle
• failing
• stranglehold
• albatross
• obstruction
• let
• hindrance
• impediment
• millstone
• embarrassment
• rub
• catch
• shackle
• hitch
• stop
• clog
• crimp
• check
• trammel
• bar
• manacle

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• advantage
• asset
• edge
• plus
• control
• margin
• lead
• start
• vantage
• jump
• predominance
• upper hand
• superiority
• drop
• opportunity
• head start
• privilege
• transcendence
• command
• mastery
• ascendancy
• supremacy
• prerogative
• break
• assistance
• ascendency
• aid
• help
• better

negative

3 of 3

verb

1

as in to dismiss

to reject by or as if by a vote

although the rebuttal was very eloquent, the jury negatived it in favor of the prosecution's argument

we promptly negatived the idea of having pizza again for dinner, noting that we had already had it for three nights that week

Synonyms & Similar Words

• dismiss
• kill
• veto
• refuse
• shoot down
• blackball
• disapprove
• down
• decline
• disallow
• nix
• blacklist

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• confirm
• pass
• approve
• allow
• admit
• support
• ratify
• sanction
• assent (to)
• elect

2

as in to deny

to declare not to be true

the governor's press secretary promptly negatived the rumor that he was not intending to run for reelection

Synonyms & Similar Words

• deny
• refute
• reject
• contradict
• negate
• disavow
• disallow
• disown
• disclaim
• disaffirm
• disconfirm
• repudiate
• gainsay
• disprove
• traverse
• challenge
• dispute
• disagree (with)
• rebut
• confute

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• own
• confirm
• acknowledge
• admit
• allow
• accept
• concede
• adopt
• embrace
• maintain
• claim
• submit
• affirm
• assert
• declare
• avow
• verify
• announce
• validate
• profess
• substantiate
• espouse
• aver
• corroborate
• authenticate

3

as in to reject

to show unwillingness to accept, do, engage in, or agree to

even though I had originally negatived the invitation, Mom thought I should go anyway

Synonyms & Similar Words

• reject
• refuse
• decline
• ignore
• pass
• avoid
• deny
• dispute
• disapprove
• turn down
• pass up
• balk (at)
• dismiss
• veto
• withdraw
• spurn
• repudiate
• throw over
• deselect
• throw out
• forbid
• reprobate
• nix
• disdain
• blow off
• rebuff
• turn one's back on
• prohibit
• scorn
• overrule
• negate
• refrain (from)
• shoot down
• abstain (from)
• scout
• retract
• recall
• contradict
• refute
• disavow
• take back
• renounce
• proscribe
• disprove
• forbear
• gainsay
• stick
• disclaim
• disagree (with)
• unsay
• revoke
• back down
• recant
• disown
• rebut
• foreswear
• controvert
• bypass
• back off
• detour
• abjure
• forswear
• disallow
• backtrack
• renege

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• agree (to)
• accept
• approve
• tolerate
• receive
• take
• welcome
• swallow
• adopt
• embrace
• agree
• condone
• countenance
• choose
• select
• support
• consent
• acquiesce
• assent
• accede
• espouse
• handpick

4

as in to offset

to balance with an equal force so as to make ineffective

no amount of flattery is likely to negative that overheard insult

Synonyms & Similar Words

• offset
• correct
• neutralize
• outweigh
• counteract
• counterbalance
• cancel (out)
• compensate (for)
• make up (for)
• relieve
• annul
• remedy
• counterpoise
• nullify
• invalidate
• negate
• redeem
• atone (for)
• outbalance
• neuter
• redress
• override
• overrule

5

as in to refuse

to be unwilling to grant

ultimately, we negatived the request for a personal loan

Synonyms & Similar Words

• deny
• reject
• refuse
• decline
• disapprove
• withhold
• disallow
• forbid
• veto
• reprobate
• ban
• restrict
• prohibit
• keep
• nix
• restrain
• check
• enjoin
• repel
• proscribe
• hinder
• curb
• rebuff
• impede
• constrain
• balk (at)
• repress
• hold
• spurn
• obstruct

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• let
• okay
• permit
• give
• grant
• allow
• supply
• provide
• concede
• OK
• afford
• furnish
• agree (to)
• license
• authorize
• consent (to)
• assent (to)
• warrant
• commission
• accede (to)
• acquiesce
• sanction
• accord
• licence
• vouchsafe

Try This Instead

For

Try This

a negative impact

an adverse impact

a harmful impact

an averse impact

an undesirable impact

a detrimental impact

negative consequences

terrible consequences

awful consequences

nasty consequences

unfavorable consequences

disadvantageous consequences

negative reaction

averse reaction

contrary reaction

bad reaction

unhappy reaction

disappointing reaction

negative thoughts

pessimistic thoughts

unpleasant thoughts

miserable thoughts

unhappy thoughts

horrible thoughts

negative feelings

unpleasant feelings

sad feelings

dark feelings

depressive feelings

pessimistic feelings