nay 1 of 2

adverb

ˈnā How to pronounce nay (audio)
Definition of naynext
as in indeed
not merely this but also I was angry—nay, furious—at the way they were treating that poor dog

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

nay

2 of 2

noun

1
as in no
a vote or decision against something when the votes were tallied, it was 241 yeas and 54 nays

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in refusal
an unwillingness to grant something asked for gave a resounding nay to the request for a mixed-company camping trip

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of nay
Adverb
So, coming live from my Van Down By the River, Old Prospector's pickaxe in my right hand, Cowbell in my left, Opera Man wig on my head, El Nino thundering away above it, here are the eight footballers who could, nay should, host SNL. — SI.com, 9 Oct. 2019 And journalists who actually do their jobs are nay-saying trouble-makers who have the temerity to not rely on press releases. — Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 26 May 2012
Noun
But my curiosity proved stronger than my nay-saying. — Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 8 May 2026 Congress does not have a yay or nay on the merger, but Democratic lawmakers have warned of investigations and other actions, something that will prove much more salient if the party gains control of one or more chambers in the midterms. — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 27 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for nay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nay
  1. indeed
  2. no
  3. refusal
  4. certainly
  5. veto
  6. rejection
  7. surely
  8. denial
Adverb
  • Stuart Fails to Save the Universe indeed came up with a fun, clever premise…and then apparently just decided to stop trying there; everything else about the series is totally lackluster.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Nancy Reagan, fearful of losing her husband, did indeed consult an astrologer after Reagan was shot.
    — Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of indeed
Noun
  • Near daybreak, when the Senate did call for the vote to adjourn, Lee and others objected with hearty nos.
    — Lisa Mascaro, Fortune, 8 Aug. 2026
  • With 99% of precincts reporting, Amendment 1 overwhelmingly leads with 82% of the vote compared to 17% voting no.
    — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of no
Noun
  • As a result of her refusal, the entire kingdom is cursed to live without love and anyone who steps foot inside it is also cursed.
    — Todd Spangler, Variety, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Phillips 66 has a chemicals joint venture with Chevron that each side has a right of first refusal to acquire wholly; previous efforts to sell the business from both Chevron and Phillips’ end have run into hurdles, other people said.
    — Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of refusal
Adverb
  • Scheffler certainly hasn't struggled to find consistency this season.
    — Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Things have certainly gone up a level, too, with her new punky cropped haircut.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of certainly
Noun
  • In 2023, DeSantis issued a surprise veto of a bipartisan bill that would have led the state fleet to purchase more EVs and save taxpayers money.
    — Emily L. Mahoney, Miami Herald, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Bill 26-0191 changes the veto and override time requirements for the budget and other bills by providing the council more time to potentially override a mayoral veto, thus giving more power to the council.
    — Joseph Landers, Baltimore Sun, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of veto
Noun
  • Indeed, both candidates prefer the hard work of actually governing over performative posturing, modeling a deliberate rejection of the political fringes.
    — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Not as a rejection of his background, but as an expansion of what that background can hold.
    — Advertorial, Footwear News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of rejection
Adverb
  • But with fewer midweek fixtures this season due to their failure to qualify for European football, Alonso’s setup is surely going to adapt depending on the opponents anyway.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Even the useless adults of The Shards would surely act quickly to arrest Robert with this much evidence.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of surely
Noun
  • The suit maintains that the commission’s denial does not identify any adverse impact to a wetland function or value, nor any feasible and prudent alternatives to address the Commission’s reasons for denial, in violation of state law, Conn.
    — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Sacco is sticking to her guns after Karch’s crashout of a denial.
    — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of denial

Browse Nearby Words

nawabs
nay
nays
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nay. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on nay

Nglish: Translation of nay for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of oxymoron

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All