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
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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
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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
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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
David Sparrow, Parents, 10 Mar. 2026
Let’s get the negatives out of the way.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 10 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
This helps kids look for the positives in their siblings rather than the negatives.
—David Sparrow, Parents, 10 Mar. 2026
Let’s get the negatives out of the way.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 10 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
-
Missing the deadline can lock beneficiaries into unfavorable drug coverage for the year.—
Amanda Greenwood,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
-
But soon after, the city offered different rulings unfavorable to the Eddses as to where the boundaries are and where the couple could develop.—
Ashley Mackin Solomon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The legislature attempted, but ultimately failed, to override that veto.—
Nick Coltrain,
Denver Post,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The Minneapolis council attempted to override his veto last week, but fell short of the super-majority needed to do so.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
30 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
-
If society is looking to keep the underserved at a disadvantage relative to their peers, forcing them to attend failing schools is a good way to go about it.—
Chris Roemer,
Baltimore Sun,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Charlie makes an excellent point about what the disadvantage might be.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
26 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
-
Sorokin was locked in from the drop of the puck, denying Colin Blackwell on a shorthanded breakaway 10 minutes in and making a handful of other 10-bell saves on quality scoring chances in the first period alone.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Omar, 38, eventually married Hirsi legally in a 2018 ceremony before the two divorced after it was alleged that Omar was having an affair with her chief fundraiser Tim Mynett, who denied the claim.—
Emily Hallas,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Olsson rejects The Athletic’s offer to take cover inside the coffee shop.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Last week, for example, the UK government rejected plans by a Chinese company, Ming Yang, to invest in a Scottish factory to produce wind turbine blades, citing national security reasons.—
Andy Browne,
semafor.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Negative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/negative. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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