negative 1 of 3

Definition of negativenext
1
2

negative

2 of 3

noun

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
4
5

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 negative
Adjective
Dembele’s subsequent success is an encouraging reminder that, if handled correctly, even the most severe hamstring injury need not have a lasting negative impact on a footballer’s career. Liam Twomey, New York Times, 10 June 2026 The argument around China’s role in negative data center sentiment comes ahead of midterm election season. Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 10 June 2026
Noun
Reducing false positives and negatives Real-world conditions such as poor lighting, difficult viewing angles, extreme facial expressions, concealment by face masks or sunglasses, and poor image quality can still hamper performance, leading to faulty identification. Vijayan Asari, The Conversation, 2 June 2026 That arrangement could prove a major negative for the folks and funds clamoring to get shares. Shawn Tully, Fortune, 28 May 2026
Verb
Regardless, the outcome of this trial might not impact the ex-couple’s career prospects in all that negative a way, Engelmayer predicted. Victoria Bekiempis, Vulture, 26 May 2022 But with sales growth expected to go from triple digits in 2021 to negative this year, shares have tanked to a record low recently. Yueqi Yang, Time, 20 Apr. 2022 See All Example Sentences for negative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for negative
Adjective
  • Many Christians seek to keep a hostile world at bay by discouraging inquiry and critical thinking, by empowering theological enforcers, and by drawing narrow doctrinal boundaries.
    Peter Wehner, The Atlantic, 10 June 2026
  • While some states would be hostile to public university athletes attempts to gain employment recognition, others might be more welcoming.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 10 June 2026
Adjective
  • Public opinion towards it has sharply worsened in the last year, with majorities in most countries polled having unfavorable views towards it, and confidence in Netanyahu has plummeted.
    Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 8 June 2026
  • Among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, 80% had a somewhat or very unfavorable view.
    Philip Wang, Time, 3 June 2026
Noun
  • Days later, Congress overrode the veto.
    Nik Popli, Time, 8 June 2026
  • That in itself would provide another strong argument for overriding such a veto.
    Steven Andreasen, Twin Cities, 7 June 2026
Noun
  • If these quasi-mythical creatures provoked unease, at least among outsiders, their cheese did the opposite.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 June 2026
  • In the Eastern Pacific, the opposite occurs, with favorable conditions supporting above-average hurricane season activity.
    Daniel Peck, ABC News, 11 June 2026
Noun
  • Similar to how van Gisbergen debuted on a brand-new NASCAR circuit, thereby negating some of the disadvantages that come with racing in a series for the first time, Magnussen will have the same opportunity at San Diego.
    Jordan Bianchi, New York Times, 3 June 2026
  • Soon, multiplexes emerged, which put the Westwood Village location at a disadvantage.
    Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2026
Verb
  • The charges of using a computer to commit a crime and interfering with a telecommunications device were dismissed, according to prosecutors.
    DeJanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 11 June 2026
  • In January 2021, Erickson was charged with one misdemeanor count of reckless driving, but the charge was later dismissed, his lawyer Mark Werksman told The New York Times.
    Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 11 June 2026
Verb
  • Shasta County Superior Court judges denied two prior lawsuits that aimed to block Measure B from appearing on the ballot, including one from Shasta County’s attorney Joseph Larmour, without ruling on the substance of their cases.
    Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 13 June 2026
  • Baldoni denied the allegations and maintained that Lively's claims were false.
    Janelle Ash , Lauryn Overhultz, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2026
Verb
  • At the same time, the resolution calls for humane immigration policies that uphold justice and mercy, strongly rejecting nativism, discrimination and racial or ethnic hostility.
    Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 10 June 2026
  • As of last month, according to Yahoo Sports, more than $125 million worth of NIL compensation that had been promised to athletes had been rejected by the clearinghouse or was still under review.
    Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Negative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/negative. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on negative

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