NAY Synonyms: 74 Similar and Opposite Words

nay 1 of 2

adverb

ˈnā

Definition of nay

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

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

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

Rand Paul Paul’s office also did not immediately respond to a request for comment on his nay vote. — Connor Greene, Time, 23 June 2026 But my curiosity proved stronger than my nay-saying. — Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 8 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for nay

Recent Examples of Synonyms for nay

Adverb

If the Dodgers do, indeed, go in that direction for Games 1 and 2, Snell would then be the natural choice for Game 3, on eight days’ rest.

— Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026
Finally, at the end of the hallway – and indeed the end of the home – lies the Winslow's bedroom.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of indeed

Noun

Then Rave smashed a 407-foot no-doubter to right for a 9-5 Royals lead in another high-scoring half inning.

— PJ Green, Kansas City Star, 22 Sep. 2026
According to Smith, some properties showed little-to-no concerning readings, while other properties, such as Liguori's, had elevated levels of benzo(a)pyrene, lead and dioxins – all of which are carcinogens.

— Allen Devlin, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of no

Noun

Many ostrich defenders had truly suffered from those measures—refusal to abide by public-health rules had cost some of them their jobs, homes, even access to their children.

— J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
The remarks stand in stark contrast to Trump’s earlier posture toward Greenland, which had included months of combative rhetoric, tariff threats and a refusal to rule out military force to acquire the island.

— Alejandra Jaramillo, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of refusal

Adverb

There are certainly French sensibilities that shape the experience too, from the entertainment to the dining, which is always French at heart.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026
Any deal would almost certainly need to accept the Houthis’ participation in Yemeni politics and provide the group economic benefits, possibly including a share of Yemen’s oil revenues.

— RICHARD HAASS, Foreign Affairs, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of certainly

Noun

Gabriel’s Law passes after long fight by Lackey Newsom’s weekend of bill signings and vetoes was far from pure bad news for Lackey, however.

— Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 22 Sep. 2026
The reforms center on breaking veto-heavy decision deadlocks, bringing poorer economies into global supply chains, cracking down on unfair state subsidies and rewriting outdated 20th-century trade rules.

— Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of veto

Noun

Across the past century, other nations have renamed themselves or tweaked their names for various reasons, from modernization to rejection of colonialism.

— Ted Anthony, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026
Did the account have a long, clean history before the rejection?

— Adarsh Naidu, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of rejection

Adverb

More is surely going on, undetected or unreported, even as there has been a minor online symphony of whistle-blowing, alarm-bell tolling, and pleas for legislative action.

— Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026
The clothes, which always carried an element of tongue-in-cheek, paraded this sense of an triumphal ascent as surely as the Europeans had done with their get-ups in the late seventeenth century.

— Lucy Sante, Vanity Fair, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of surely

Noun

This goes counter to Disney’s official stance, which is a flat denial that Covid had anything to do with one Bob stepping down and another stepping up.

— Bethy Squires, Vulture, 24 Sep. 2026
While discussing UnitedHealthcare and its denial of insurance claims, Oliver gave an example of a patient who had to pay $95,000 out of pocket for cancer treatment after a claim was denied.

— Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of denial

Browse Nearby Words

nawabs

nay

nays

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Nay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nay. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of nay

adverb

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

argot

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

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

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

Popular in Wordplay

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes