negatives 1 of 2

Definition of negativesnext
plural of negative
1
as in vetoes
a vote or decision against something in the absence of an unambiguous negative from the commander, we decided to continue on the mission

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2
as in opposites
something that is as different as possible from something else the desire to control another person is actually the negative of real love

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negatives

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of negative
1
as in downs
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

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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 negatives
Noun
Most of the negatives are seared in, and the constructive narratives are being ignored. Jim Cramer, CNBC, 25 Jan. 2026 With technology in general, Pratt is reconciling with the positives and negatives constantly. Brian Truitt, USA Today, 24 Jan. 2026 The brutal cold is not letting up in Milwaukee as temperatures continue in the negatives this weekend. Vanessa Swales, jsonline.com, 24 Jan. 2026 The warnings come as much of the country braced for a major winter storm, with wind chills in the negatives forecast for some areas in the Midwest. Phil Helsel, NBC news, 23 Jan. 2026 Wind chills could dip into the negatives overnight. Cheryl Vari, Cincinnati Enquirer, 21 Jan. 2026 Dangerous cold is gripping the region, with feels-like temperatures across the Tri-State Area dipping into the negatives. Justin Lewis, CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026 Two such traits, being thin-skinned and suffering from an interior monologue of unending self-doubt, are often identified as negatives. Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 17 Jan. 2026 Yet, because of all the studio tinkering and trimming of his films, and the accidental losses and intentional destruction of prints, negatives, and outtakes, Stroheim’s art remains, in significant measure, unknown and unknowable. Richard Brody, New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for negatives
Noun
  • That funding was later vetoed by the governor as part of broader cultural budget vetoes.
    Geo Darder, Sun Sentinel, 22 Jan. 2026
  • Trump vetoes a bill that would help deliver clean drinking water to southeastern Colorado communities by financing a pipeline.
    Nick Coltrain, Denver Post, 13 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • These tensions are not meant to be resolved, because life itself is built from opposites.
    Richard P. Weigand, Rolling Stone, 30 Jan. 2026
  • Loosely inspired by real life best friends and therapists Pepper Schwartz and Janet Lever, the Lizer, Lynch and Sagal sitcom centers on Ginger (Sagal) and Jill (Lynch) who have always been a team as opposites that work best together.
    Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 29 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Fracture pan cons On the other hand, there are some disadvantages to fracture bedpans.
    BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 28 Jan. 2026
  • The Norwegian tax exemptions on EVs were introduced before EVs came to market and were decisive in offsetting the early disadvantages of EVs compared to conventional cars, especially regarding comfort, vehicle size, and range.
    IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 27 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • But Sarah Graves gives a bit too much room and Penn downs a 3-pointeron the wing.
    Zoe Collins Rath, Austin American Statesman, 30 Nov. 2025
  • In between questions about Nineties cultural touchstones like Friends, Space Jam, Beavis and Butthead, the Spice Girls, and Sir-Mix-A-Lot — during which Kravitz racks up a lot of points and Butler downs a lot of shots — the pair also discusses working on Caught Stealing.
    Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Court denies Brad Raffensperger’s legal challenge.
    Adam Beam, AJC.com, 29 Jan. 2026
  • Reyna’s lawyer, Theodore Batsakis, said his client denies killing Villalba but declined to comment further.
    Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • One of the most dominant factions that refuses to die?
    Olivia Allen, Vogue, 4 Feb. 2026
  • The film sensitively and disarmingly refuses to other the subculture at its core — a clever way of making the particular feel universal.
    Emily Zemler, Los Angeles Times, 4 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The charter revenue offsets some of the ownership costs.
    Doug Gollan, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
  • Brass looks particularly stunning alongside other natural materials like marble and wood, where its warmth offsets cooler surfaces and enhances organic textures.
    Cori Sears, The Spruce, 25 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Unfortunately, a vocal political movement, on both right and left, rejects these values.
    Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 4 Feb. 2026
  • If the House rejects the plan or delays action, the shutdown could stretch beyond the weekend, though most appropriators still expect a relatively short closure given the bipartisan momentum before the deadline.
    Zach Wichter, USA Today, 31 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Negatives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/negatives. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.

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