Jump To:

• not
  not

  adverb

  (used to express negation, denial, refusal, or prohibition).
• NOT
  NOT

  noun

  a Boolean operator that returns a positive result if its operand is negative and a negative result if its operand is positive.
• not-
  not-

  variant of noto- before a vowel.

not

¹ American  

[not] / nɒt /

adverb

1. (used to express negation, denial, refusal, or prohibition).

   You must not do that. It's not far from here.

2. U.S. Slang. (used jocularly as a postpositive interjection to indicate that a previous statement is untrue).

   I just love working overtime without pay. Not!

---

idioms

1. not so much, (an expression of dismissive scorn, ambivalence, or skepticism).

   Attractive? Yes. Smart? Not so much.

   Is the world coming to an end? Yeah, not so much.

NOT ² American  

[not] / nɒt /

noun

1. a Boolean operator that returns a positive result if its operand is negative and a negative result if its operand is positive.

---

not- ³ American  

1. variant of noto- before a vowel.

---

not ¹ British  

/ nɒt /

adverb

1. 1. used to negate the sentence, phrase, or word that it modifies

      I will not stand for it

   2. ( in combination )

      they cannot go

2. Also (archaic): not but what.  (conjunction) which is not to say or suppose that

   I expect to lose the game — not that I mind

---

1. used to indicate denial, negation, or refusal

   certainly not

not- ² British  

combining form

1. a variant of noto-

---

not More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing not

• (not a) Chinaman's chance
• (not to) sneeze at
• (not) all there
• (not) at all
• (not) in the least
• (not) in the mood
• (not) move a muscle
• (not) take no for an answer
• (not) the half of it
• (not) turn a hair
• all that glitters is not gold
• believe it or not
• can't
• caught dead, not be
• coming or going, not know if
• couldn't
• do as I say (not as I do)
• game is not worth the candle
• heart (not) in it
• hold one's breath, not
• it's (not) your funeral
• last but not least
• like as not
• living soul, not a
• mince matters, not to
• more often than not
• no problem (not to worry)
• two wrongs do not make a right
• waste not, want not
• whether or not
• without a (not a) leg to stand on
• won't (will not) hear of
• wouldn't

---

Etymology

Origin of not

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English; weak variant of nought

Explanation

The adverb not is used for negation. Do you like drinking cod liver oil? No, I do not like drinking cod liver oil. Not is a powerful word. When Hamlet says "to be or not to be," he is questioning whether he should live or die, the inverse of living. Just be careful of what's called a "double negative," where you use not with another negating word and end up negating your negation. If you say you don't know nothing about something, that means you do know something. Not is often contracted as in don't, or isn't.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

not NOT not-

"We've got not just two but several girls who are running under two minutes every time they turn out," Brightwell told BBC Sport.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

“However, the global rebuilding of term premia is not yet complete, and markets still have scope to price a more aggressive path of central bank rate hikes,” according to the French bank’s rates strategists.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

“However, if the policy rate does not rise above 2%, a 3% yield should be attractive for real money investors,” he adds.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

O'Neill has fixed many problems over the years, not just in his first trophy-laden spell but in his return to chaos last season.

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

The smell is moist, not dry like Texas.

From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes

“Oh, I laugh. Some of them are genuinely hilarious—if it is NOT our robot,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026

The Mail expands further on Burnham's speech, noting that he "will keep Wigan property as main residence NOT Downing St".

From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2026

Trump said he had informed the US military "that we will NOT be doing the scheduled attack of Iran tomorrow."

From Barron's ● May 18, 2026

Fox News correspondent Jennifer Griffith reported that U.S. officials said “this is NOT a restarting of the war.”

From MarketWatch ● May 7, 2026

They parked their bikes in a small parking lot and walked around a path that said DO NOT ENTER.

From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova

We are lucky he cares about the fans despite his own not- so- pleasant long and winding road to 75 and beyond.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2019

Instead, around 30 designers of fashionable modest wear- some Muslim and others not- from nearly two dozen countries showcased their long-sleeved and floor-length pieces on large screens.

From Washington Times ● Mar. 29, 2018

"I assumed that it didn't matter who won - it is still a big party. But I guess it's not- I guess there's more politics involved," he said.

From BBC ● Nov. 25, 2016

Of course not- especially at an elementary school level!

From New York Times ● May 4, 2012

He raised the conch for a moment "Very well then. I suppose what's what is whether there are ghosts or not-" He thought for a moment, formulating the question.

From "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding