What does "not" mean?
An instance of using the word “not”; a negation or denial.
Not
/nɒt/ adv, conj, intj, name, noun, slang
adv, conj, intj, name, noun, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An instance of using the word “not”; a negation or denial.
- Grammar: not is listed as adv, conj, intj, name, noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: anarchism, bender, carouse, contrastive negation.
- Useful contrasts: affirmation, even, positive assertion.
- Usage evidence: I'll do my best not to disturb your studying.
How to use "not"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "not" 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 "not" 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 "not" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "not" 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 "not" is acting as adv, conj, intj, name, noun, slang 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 "anarchism" 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 "not", 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 An instance of using the word “not”; a negation or denial.
"The children are taught to be afraid of winter, of war, of death, of hard times, of disease, of examinations. Perhaps that is one of the reasons that children so seldom find the conversation of their elders uplifting. It is full of don’ts, buts and nots."
- 2 A unary operation on logical values that changes true to false, and false to true.
"Notice that the NOT symbol is simply a BUF symbol followed by a bubble. The bubble represents logical inversion and is the actual NOT gate. Anytime you see a bubble attached to a gate pin, you can detach it from the pin and insert a separate NOT gate in its place without affecting the resulting logic."
- 3 Alternative letter-case form of NOT (“unary operation on logical values that changes true to false, and false to true”). alt-of
Adverb
- 1 Negates the meaning of the modified verb. not-comparable
"Did you take out the trash? — No, I did not. I do not think it was my turn, was it?"
- 2 To no degree. not-comparable
"That is not red; it's green."
- 3 Used to indicate the opposite or near opposite, often in a form of understatement. not-comparable
"That day was not the best day of my life. (meaning the day was bad or awful)"
- 4 Used before a determiner phrase, a pronominal phrase etc. to convey a negative attitude (e.g. denial, sadness, anger) towards something. not-comparable
"Oh god, not that! Anything but that!"
- 5 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. informal, ironic, not-comparable
"Not me writing example sentences again."
Adverb
- 1 negation of a word or group of words wordnet
Conjunction
- 1 And not.
"I wanted a plate of shrimp, not a bucket of chicken."
Intj
- 1 Used to indicate that the previous phrase was meant sarcastically or ironically. slang
"Near-synonyms: I don't think; psych; bender (obsolete, UK)"
Proper Noun
- 1 Alternative spelling of Nut. Egyptian, alt-of, alternative
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"I'll do my best not to disturb your studying."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "not"?
Common synonyms include: anarchism, bender, carouse, contrastive negation, emphatic negation, icelandic ekki.
How do you use "not" in a sentence?
I'll do my best not to disturb your studying.
How do you pronounce "not"?
Pronounced /nɒt/.
Etymology
From Middle English not, nat, variant of noght, naht (“not, nothing”), from Old English *nōht, nāht (“nought, nothing”), short for nōwiht, nāwiht (“nothing”, literally “not anything”), corresponding to ne (“not”) + ōwiht, āwiht (“anything”), corresponding to ā (“ever, always”) + wiht (“thing, creature”). Cognate with Scots nat, naucht (“not”), Saterland Frisian nit (“not”), West Frisian net (“not”), Dutch niet (“not”), German nicht (“not”). Compare nought, naught and aught. More at no, wight, whit.