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
Try This Instead
Try This InsteadFor
Try This
a negative impact
negative consequences
terrible consequences
awful consequences
nasty consequences
unfavorable consequences
disadvantageous consequences
negative reaction
negative thoughts
negative feelings
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of negative
semafor.com, 10 July 2025
The numbers say he’s been toward the back of the pack, though, and that’s on top of a negative grade on the bases and a below average bat.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 10 July 2025
Matt Levine, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 June 2025
That inexperience has repeatedly been cited by manager Alex Cora and the players themselves when asked about all the one-run losses, though not everyone necessarily views it as a negative.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 8 June 2025
Allison Pohle, WSJ, 2 Aug. 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
Adjective
Importantly, Democrats will need to win back at least one chamber of Congress next year to have a chance at avoiding the Medicaid cuts, after warning for months about the negative impacts.
—semafor.com, 10 July 2025
The numbers say he’s been toward the back of the pack, though, and that’s on top of a negative grade on the bases and a below average bat.
—Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 10 July 2025
Noun
Young has value around the league, but his defense remains a massive negative for any opposing team.
—Matt Levine, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 June 2025
That inexperience has repeatedly been cited by manager Alex Cora and the players themselves when asked about all the one-run losses, though not everyone necessarily views it as a negative.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 8 June 2025
Verb
And passengers boarding international flights to the U.S. no longer need to test negative a day before departure or prove recovery from Covid in the past 90 days.
—Allison Pohle, WSJ, 2 Aug. 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
-
Forced to work in a more hostile environment than.when it was first established in 2019, the mission faces limited options for evacuations due to the ongoing suspension of international commercial flights, and mobility, because of gangs’ ongoing gang encirclement of Port-au-Prince.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
14 July 2025
-
From retail shops to corner bodegas and independent grocery stores, the past few years have not only forced small business owners to confront staggering economic challenges, but also a needlessly hostile regulatory environment brought on by out-of-touch policymakers.—
Tosha Miller,
New York Daily News,
12 July 2025
Adjective
-
In Wednesday’s poll, Mamdani had a higher net favorability rating (40% favorable to 36% unfavorable) than the net negative ratings of Cuomo (44% to 46%) and Adams (28% to 62%).—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
9 July 2025
-
The Mumsnet user then listed some recent unfavorable restaurant outings.—
Brian Anthony Hernandez,
People.com,
6 July 2025
Noun
-
The state legislature sought to overturn the veto, but failed by two votes.—
David Ubben,
New York Times,
11 July 2025
-
Republicans in the Legislature put the measure on the ballot, bypassing a likely veto by Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs.—
Ray Stern,
AZCentral.com,
11 July 2025
Noun
-
In fact, his position and his actions do the opposite.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
13 July 2025
-
The Sonos Beam Gen 2 is compact enough to disappear under your screen, but Dolby Atmos and multi-directional sound do the opposite of disappearing, filling your room up with sound.—
Juhi Wadia July 11,
PC Magazine,
11 July 2025
Noun
-
Walking away entirely from UNEP would put us at a disadvantage.—
Kristen Edgreen Kaufman,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
-
Some of the female immune advantage may be male immune disadvantage, and while it’s accepted that hormones affect immunity, determining to what degree is an ongoing research question.—
Starre Vartan,
CNN Money,
7 July 2025
Verb
-
With the reciprocal tariffs, Trump is dismissing the rules governing world trade.—
Aamer Madhani,
Los Angeles Times,
12 July 2025
-
So far, nearly 60,000 federal employees have been dismissed, with the State Department layoffs marking the latest round of cuts.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 July 2025
Verb
-
Paxton, during the trial, denied having the affair.—
Ty Roush,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
-
There are few templates for denying a nomination to a statewide incumbent in Connecticut, but Lamont is more familiar than most with what’s required: primarily, a compelling reason to reject someone.—
Mark Pazniokas,
Hartford Courant,
10 July 2025
Verb
-
If anyone else tries such commands, the AGI and ASI reject them summarily.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
-
New York’s 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Maxwell’s appeal effort last year, finding that the deal drawn up in 2007 and approved the following year only protected Epstein and his coconspirators in South Florida.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
15 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Negative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/negative. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
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