negatives 1 of 2

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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3

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
Of course, once again, regulations could be tough, and debt would be an issue … but those are negatives in any major deal of this size, and the telecom players might be hungry enough to go for it. Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 29 June 2026 These kinds of old negatives are often stored inside cans and are so fragile they can’t be unrolled without destroying them, Seales says. Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 26 June 2026 The negatives hinted at the zone of discomfort Carroll often inspires. Leanne Shapton, The New York Review of Books, 24 June 2026 Instead of harping on the negatives and problems, center and rest your energy on the positives and protect your peace to wash away some of your worries. Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 18 June 2026 Now Simmons and his old negatives have exposure like never before. Noel Brennan, CBS News, 18 June 2026 But there are real negatives that this blanket ban has forced upon kids. Dana Taylor, USA Today, 17 June 2026 Even outside of the challenges tied to the Iran conflict, the tendency toward offshoring is creating other negatives for the industry including overproduction, demand misalignment and markdowns. Sj Studio, Footwear News, 11 June 2026 The negatives are glaring and the team’s recent activity on the transaction wire points to a search for answers, even if none have been overwhelming successes so far. C. Trent Rosecrans, New York Times, 11 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for negatives
Noun
  • DeSantis’ vetoes carved roughly $800 million from the $115 billion state budget the Legislature passed in May, including 140 projects requested by Miami-Dade lawmakers that are worth nearly $88 million, according to a Miami Herald analysis.
    Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 30 June 2026
  • One of his biggest vetoes slashed more more than $225 million for new housing and maintenance of existing facilities requested by the Department of Corrections.
    Jeffrey Schweers, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 June 2026
Noun
  • The two are still polar opposites; Sally is a dutiful mother who bakes beautiful cakes and avoids men while Gillian is all about finding literal Chads on Tinder.
    Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 24 June 2026
  • Carly Rae Jepsen is thinking in opposites.
    SPIN Staff, SPIN, 22 June 2026
Noun
  • Between structural disadvantages, insider advantages, and inconsistent capital allocation, IPO investing is often more speculation than strategy.
    Cicely Jones, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • DataHaven found that a legacy of racial and residential segregation has contributed to lingering inequality, with Black and Latino communities facing significant disadvantages and lower quality of life.
    P.R. Lockhart, Hartford Courant, 22 June 2026
Verb
  • Springtown takes edge in 7-4A race, downs Decatur Springtown got the inside track on the District 7-4A championship after beating Decatur 4-2 in 8 innings on Monday night at Decatur High School.
    Darren Lauber, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Apr. 2026
  • Greene downs it, throws the kid his jersey, smiles, and all is right with the world.
    Debby Wolfinsohn, Entertainment Weekly, 8 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Lozano denies mass immigration fraud Angelo Calfo, an attorney representing Lozano, said clients were expected to review their applications before signing and blamed them for any false statements.
    Jack Brook, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026
  • Israel, founded in the wake of the Holocaust, denies the accusations.
    ABC News, ABC News, 28 June 2026
Verb
  • Like many of the people camped outside their families’ homes in Venezuela, Mendoza refuses to believe they are gone until the last moment possible.
    Isa Soares, CNN Money, 1 July 2026
  • The result is heat that builds, amplifies and refuses to break, often setting records on the way.
    Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 June 2026
Verb
  • Federal student loan default can also expose you to wage garnishment, tax refund complications, and in some cases, Social Security offsets.
    True Tamplin, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • The heavy side part feigns an almost asymmetrical look, which offsets heaviness on the ends and frames the face in a fun way.
    Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 16 June 2026
Verb
  • The final budget agreement rejects a call by Newsom to lower the asset limit to $2,000 now and instead lowers it to $21,000 in 2027-28 to be eligible for Medi-Cal.
    Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
  • Kenzie completely rejects Corbin’s because Corbin, having disrespected her, is now dead to her.
    Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 30 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Negatives.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/negatives. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.

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