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
  • Flashbacks to recent events reveal that the townspeople never let Hal find peace, and even firebombed his home, only for a grown-up Noah — Kerry’s son, and Zoe’s grandson — to save him and regenerate his skin using Zoe’s covert alien tech.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
  • And in all his years, Anderson said he’s never seen more companies support robust regulation.
    — Bob Herman, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of never
Adverb
  • Each episode follows one garden over an extended period, capturing animal behavior rarely witnessed by human eyes – from raising families and defending territories to hunting, courting and surviving the changing seasons.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Yet even as built, the stadium rarely reached capacity, a challenge eventually compounded by the foundering product on the gridiron.
    — Shun Graves, Chicago Tribune, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of rarely
Adverb
  • Modern-day musicians still reinvent themselves musically, but seldom visually.
    — Sadie Kargman, Allure, 28 Sep. 2026
  • But records suggest regulatory requirements have seldom interfered with an ALF’s ability to remain open.
    — Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 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

Browse Nearby Words

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 5 Oct. 2026.

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