not

adverb

Definition of notnext
as in never
in no way or under no circumstances The food was so burnt that it was not edible.

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for not
  1. never
  2. rarely
  3. seldom
Adverb
  • The state’s voters have never elected a woman as Governor and rejected both Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris as presidential contenders.
    — Philip Elliott, Time, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Diesel had never exceeded $6 a gallon on average until this year.
    — Jordan Blum, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of never
Adverb
  • Because of its proportional representation system – voters cast one vote for a national party-list – even the largest parties rarely win more than 35 seats, and Israel has always had coalition governments.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Many before and since have grappled with the price of salvation, but rarely has such a theologically vast decision felt this intimate.
    — Gabriel Szatan, Pitchfork, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of rarely
Adverb
  • Since the first Palestinian intifada, or uprising, began in 1987, human rights organizations have documented how seldom investigations into Israeli soldiers’ killings of Palestinians resulted in prosecution.
    — Tamir Sorek, The Conversation, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Scholars of her work have debated why women seldom take center stage.
    — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of seldom
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.

Phrases Containing not

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nosy
not
notabilities
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Cite this Entry

“Not.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/not. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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