not

Study(26)

[nɔt]

adv 5noun 3conj 1intj 1name 1

Collocations

ADJ.

actual, all, best, better, black, blue, desirable, enough

The best solution is not always the most expensive one.

VERB + NOT

am, awaiting, bar, go, notice, shows

I am not awaiting any response from the company about the job application.

NOT + NOUN

anyone, anytime, artist, boyfriend, bucket, robot, school, something

She said she wanted a boyfriend, but not a robot who just goes through the motions.

PREP.

without

ADV.

almost, anymore, only, really, simply

I'm simply not going to worry about what other people think anymore.

Definitions

adv

Negates the meaning of the modified verb.

Did you take out the trash? — No, I did not. I do not think it was my turn, was it?

Not knowing any better, I went ahead.

To no degree.

That is not red; it's green.

It's not you, it's me.

Used to indicate the opposite or near opposite, often in a form of understatement.

That day was not the best day of my life. (meaning the day was bad or awful)

It was not my favorite movie of all time. (meaning the speaker dislikes or strongly dislikes the movie)

Used before a determiner phrase, a pronominal phrase etc. to convey a negative attitude (e.g. denial, sadness, anger) towards something.

Oh god, not that! Anything but that!

Not another rainy day!

Used before a non-finite clause (especially a gerund-participial clause) or less commonly a determiner phrase to ironically convey some attitude (e.g. surprise, incredulity, amusement, embarrassment) towards something.

Not me writing example sentences again.

Not me crying by the end of that!! You are a brilliant, beautiful human who deserves no less than the world. Thank you for taking the time to watch unicorn store. It’s a film that means so much to me.

conj

And not.

I wanted a plate of shrimp, not a bucket of chicken.

He painted the car blue and black, not solid purple.

intj

Used to indicate that the previous phrase was meant sarcastically or ironically.

Near-synonyms: I don't think; psych; bender (obsolete, UK)

I really like hanging out with my little brother watching Barney … not!

Thesaurus

Synonyms

adverb — negation of a word or group of words

Antonyms

Idioms & Phrases

not on your nelly

not on your life, an emphatic form of no.

not in Kansas anymore

No longer in quiet and comfortable surroundings.

As soon as I walked into that party I thought, "I'm not in Kansas anymore."

more often than not

Usually; more than half the time; more likely to be the case than not to be the case.

Near-synonyms: commonly, frequently; usually; see also Thesaurus:usually

not worth a brass farthing

Worth nothing or next to nothing.

One's own private knowledge of a man's character is not worth a brass farthing as legal evidence.

I'm afraid not

Unfortunately, no; I regret that that is not so.

Do you have any beer? No, I'm afraid not.

Example Bank

Did you take out the trash? — No, I did not. I do not think it was my turn, was it?

Wiktionary

Not knowing any better, I went ahead.

Wiktionary

It was felt desirable that she not leave school before fourteen.

Wiktionary

I wanted a plate of shrimp, not a bucket of chicken.

Wiktionary

He painted the car blue and black, not solid purple.

Wiktionary

We can't run this bar without her. Not and raise two kids.

Wiktionary

Usage Notes

i Register

In some senses, not is marked as informal, slang, ironic. Watch for register when choosing this word.

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