What does "negation" mean?
The act of negating something.
Negation
/nəˈɡeɪʃn̩/ noun
noun ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The act of negating something.
- Grammar: negation is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: abnegation, abolishment, abolition, absence.
- Useful contrasts: assertional content, acceptance, additions.
- Usage evidence: The Hegelian philosophy is the last magnificent attempt to restore Christianity, which was lost and wrecked, through philosophy and, indeed, to restore Christianity—as is generally done in the modern era—by identifying it with the negation of Christianity.
How to use "negation"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "negation" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "negation" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "negation" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "negation" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "negation" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "abnegation" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "negation", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The act of negating something. uncountable
"As an isolating language Belter Creole is rich in particles. Particles are used to indicate both negation and interrogation: na is the negative particle and it is placed before the verb"
- 2 (logic) a proposition that is true if and only if another proposition is false wordnet
- 3 A denial or contradiction. countable
"But it pleased her to play on my passion / And whet me to pleadings / That won from her mirthful negations / And scornings undue."
- 4 the speech act of negating wordnet
- 5 A proposition which is the contradictory of another proposition and which can be obtained from that other proposition by the appropriately placed addition/insertion of the word "not". (Or, in symbolic logic, by prepending that proposition with the symbol for the logical operator "not".) countable
"You get the negation of a proposition if you insert "not" (or some equivalent expression) into it in such a way as to form a contradictory of it."
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 a negative statement; a statement that is a refusal or denial of some other statement wordnet
- 7 The logical operation which obtains such (negated) propositions. countable, uncountable
"Although some of the logicians working in term logic have very complicated treatments of negation, we can see the origin of the modern conception in the extensional tradition as well. In Boole and most of his followers, the negation of a term is understood as the set theoretic complement of the class represented by that term. For this reason, the negation of classical propositional logic is often called ‘Boolean negation’."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"The Hegelian philosophy is the last magnificent attempt to restore Christianity, which was lost and wrecked, through philosophy and, indeed, to restore Christianity—as is generally done in the modern era—by identifying it with the negation of Christianity."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "negation"?
Common synonyms include: abnegation, abolishment, abolition, absence, additive inverse, annihilation.
How do you use "negation" in a sentence?
The Hegelian philosophy is the last magnificent attempt to restore Christianity, which was lost and wrecked, through philosophy and, indeed, to restore Christianity—as is generally done in the modern era—by identifying it with the negation of Christianity.
How do you pronounce "negation"?
Pronounced /nəˈɡeɪʃn̩/.
Etymology
From Middle English negacioun, from Old French negacion, from Latin negātiō (“a denial; negative word”). Morphologically negate + -ion.