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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unfavorable
opposed to one's interests
the almost universally negative reaction to the book
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
5
as in to refuse
to be unwilling to grant
ultimately, we negatived the request for a personal loan
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of negative
Bracey Harris, NBC news, 25 Mar. 2026
If positive, stay home until better and confirm with a negative test.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
Jake Angelo, Fortune, 9 Mar. 2026
The lone negative for UCLA was making just 1 of 9 from 3-point range in the first half.
—ABC News, 7 Mar. 2026
Yueqi Yang, Time, 20 Apr. 2022
Travelers also need to negative COVID-19 test within one day of flying to return to the United States.
—Dallas News, 7 Feb. 2022
See All Example Sentences for negative
Adjective
Still, the opposition and the negative attention are concerns.
—Bracey Harris, NBC news, 25 Mar. 2026
If positive, stay home until better and confirm with a negative test.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 25 Mar. 2026
Noun
Those dismal numbers are third worst, trailing only the Democratic Party, which had a 22-point net negative rating, and Iran, with a 53-point net negative.
—Jake Angelo, Fortune, 9 Mar. 2026
The lone negative for UCLA was making just 1 of 9 from 3-point range in the first half.
—ABC News, 7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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
Travelers also need to negative COVID-19 test within one day of flying to return to the United States.
—Dallas News, 7 Feb. 2022
See All Example Sentences for negative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for negative
Adjective
-
The paratroopers are trained to jump into hostile or contested areas to secure key territory and airfields.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Mar. 2026
-
However, Iran’s UN Mission said in a post on X that ‘non-hostile vessels, including those belonging to or associated with other states’ may obtain ‘safe passage’ through the Strait of Hormuz via coordination with Tehran.—
Joseph Wilkins,Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The strategic coordination, while aggressive, reflected legitimate political calculations to minimize costly primary contests during an unfavorable midterm environment for Republicans.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Time, of course, moves slower in unfavorable situations, like running on a treadmill.—
Jessica Sulima,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The judge stressed how Gastineau’s contract to appear on the 30 for 30 didn’t grant him veto power over content and, in fact, gave NFL Productions the right to modify the film to suit production needs.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Even so, Utah’s Legislature overrode the veto.—
Darren Rosenblum,
Mercury News,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Etiquette neither knows nor cares who is generous and who is stingy, and indecisive and rude are not opposites.—
Judith Martin,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2026
-
That is the opposite of the parasympathetic state your body needs to reach deep, restorative sleep.—
Allison Palmer,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Despite that disadvantage — Villanova has hit 7-of-14 — the underdog Aggies are still in this game.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Eftimiades also believes that the FBI’s decades-old structure of methodically amassing information can work to its disadvantage.—
Adam Ciralsky,
Vanity Fair,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Johnson dismissed the criticism.—
Jack Fink,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Red flags worth walking away from include dismissing symptoms without investigation, attributing everything to stress or anxiety, discouraging second opinions and making patients feel rushed.—
Allison Palmer,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In a telephone interview with Kyodo News on Friday, Araghchi denied closing the passageway, insisting instead that countries attacking Iran face restrictions, while others were being offered assistance.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Mar. 2026
-
It was denied state subsidies, records show.—
Uwa Ede-Osifo,
Dallas Morning News,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Lloyd told the student he had been jumped three weeks earlier and believed someone from the fraternity he had been rejected from sent someone to attack him.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Residents also raised $1,200 via a GoFundMe fundraising page to pressure county commissioners to reject the project.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Negative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/negative. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
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