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.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of negative
Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 8 Nov. 2025
The negative reviews — some going as far as calling All’s Fair the worst show ever with the worst acting — triggered a new media cycle of stories.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 7 Nov. 2025
Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 23 Oct. 2025
Mysterious Skin was digitally restored by the Academy Film Archive and UCLA Film & Television Archive in conjunction with Sundance Institute in 4K from the original 35 mm A/B camera negatives and original sound elements.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 21 Oct. 2025
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
And after weeks of negative headlines about the mayor leading up to this year’s election, a win is a shot in the arm.
—Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 8 Nov. 2025
The negative reviews — some going as far as calling All’s Fair the worst show ever with the worst acting — triggered a new media cycle of stories.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 7 Nov. 2025
Noun
Horford, meanwhile, was the only Warrior to finish in the negatives, with the Lakers outscoring Golden State by 10 points across his 20 minutes.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 23 Oct. 2025
Mysterious Skin was digitally restored by the Academy Film Archive and UCLA Film & Television Archive in conjunction with Sundance Institute in 4K from the original 35 mm A/B camera negatives and original sound elements.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 21 Oct. 2025
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
-
There are guns, horses, ghosts, a primal struggle for survival in hostile terrain, family feuds and a steadily intensifying sense of mortal threat, as Old Porch’s ambition and psychopathy escalate the drama.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Fire department suffering low morale When Washington was fired, City Manager Sheryl Long blamed him for creating a hostile work environment for female firefighters and for failing to improve the department's workplace culture.—
Aaron Valdez,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
With 27% favorable and 16% unfavorable opinions among Republicans, more than half of them don't know enough to form an opinion.—
Kayla Dwyer,
IndyStar,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The pressure dialed up by Minnesota, along with costly penalties, put this offense in unfavorable spots throughout the game.—
Colton Pouncy,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
In an eleventh-hour attempt to politically have their cake and eat it too, Senate Democrats followed their 13th consecutive veto of the GOP’s clean spending bill, which would reopen the government.—
Tiana Lowe Doescher,
The Washington Examiner,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Governor Gavin Newsom’s veto of Assembly Bill 255 makes stories like Michelle’s almost impossible to repeat within the state’s homelessness system.—
Michele Steeb,
Oc Register,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The result is a workforce that is smaller, less dynamic, and aging faster, precisely when adaptation to technological change requires the opposite.—
Jane Sadowsky,
Fortune,
8 Nov. 2025
-
The two powerhouses were political opposites but became friends and cut deals.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
But without Cooper, Willams and Patton, the Cyclones will be at a severe personnel disadvantage.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Hoffman acknowledged that the developers of data centers have been prone to operate in secret out of their concern of putting clients at a competitive disadvantage compared with rival companies.—
Peter Passi,
Twin Cities,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
On Wednesday, in documents obtained by Rolling Stone, a California superior court judge overseeing the lawsuit ruled in favor of Kardashian and the anti-SLAPP motion, effectively dismissing the other Cantu’s lawsuit, though the judge left open the possibility of an appeal.—
Daniel Kreps,
Rolling Stone,
6 Nov. 2025
-
This company’s approach to pest control begins with a philosophy that dismisses the business-as-usual assumptions.—
Malana VanTyler,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Despite vocal support from Aspire Capitol Heights families and a concerted effort from school leaders to prove that the school’s fiscal and academic issues could be solved, the board voted 4-1 to deny the school’s charter renewal.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
8 Nov. 2025
-
My mother has been denied access to medical care, the right to speak, and every basic human freedom.—
Kim Aris,
Time,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
And the British nations, as ever, remained aloof, England rejecting a late offer to step in for Austria.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Democrats are pushing to extend soon-to-expire health care tax credits and reverse earlier Medicaid cuts, but Republicans have rejected those proposals.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Negative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/negative. Accessed 10 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share