negate
Americanverb (used with object)
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negates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
negated,
past participle, past
-
negating
present participle
-
to deny the existence, evidence, or truth of.
an investigation tending to negate any supernatural influences.
-
to nullify or cause to be ineffective.
Progress on the study has been negated by the lack of funds.
verb (used without object)
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negates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
negated,
past participle, past
-
negating
present participle
verb
-
to make ineffective or void; nullify; invalidate
-
to deny or contradict
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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negaternoun
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negatornoun
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renegateverb (used with object)
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self-negatingadjective
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unnegatedadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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negatesimple
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negatessimple
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have negatedperfect
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has negatedperfect
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am negatingprogressive
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are negatingprogressive
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is negatingprogressive
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have been negatingperfect progressive
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has been negatingperfect progressive
Past
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negatedsimple
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had negatedperfect
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was negatingprogressive
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were negatingprogressive
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had been negatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of negate
First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin negātus “denied,” past participle of negāre “to deny, refuse,” from neg-, variant of nec “not”; see neglect
Explanation
If something neutralizes the effect of something else, then you can say the effect is negated. Hanging a disco ball from your living room ceiling negates the sleek modern effect created by the contemporary furniture. If something is proved false or untrue, it has been negated. The discovery of one dinosaur jaw negated the conventional wisdom that all dinosaurs were vegetarians, since the tooth structure proved that guy definitely ate meat. The verb negate can also mean to counteract or counterbalance — so a really strong serve can negate your other weaknesses on the tennis court.
Vocabulary lists containing negate
100 SAT Words Beginning with "N"
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Speech and Debate
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Warm-up, List 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
While paper or cardboard packaging might on its own be recyclable, the presence of a label, a seal or a coating can negate that.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
But it’s not an impossible situation, nor does it negate spending on the yard.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 8, 2026
But San Diego’s flaws don’t negate the Dodgers’ as they burned through six relievers in their win.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 3, 2026
It was like the public exhibition of a painting, the public performance of a play, or the playing of a song in public—all actions that don’t negate copyright protection.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 17, 2026
Or, to put it more positively, when a writer wants to negate an unfamiliar proposition, she should unveil the negation in two stages: 1.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
“Rewashing that product at home and rehandling that product basically negates every step that has already been taken on that product with the washing and antimicrobial interventions,” said Chaves.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
"Will advertisers in the hydration break be met with enough discontent that it negates the value of the advertising?" says T. Bettina Cornwell, head of marketing at the University of Oregon.
From BBC ● Jun. 19, 2026
Borrowers should avoid asking for an increase if they plan to spend frivolously with the extended line of credit, however, because that negates any attempt to improve their credit-utilization ratio.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 16, 2026
“The result of subsidizing home demand without increasing home supply could be an increase to home prices that negates the potential savings,” Berner wrote.
From Barron's ● Nov. 10, 2025
Pushing the not next to the phrase it negates eliminates the scope ambiguity.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
The breakout also negated a bearish evening star, marked by a doji candle on March 26.
From Barron's ● Apr. 20, 2026
“But further attacks on vessels and warnings that the Strait of Hormuz would effectively remain closed negated any positive impact,” she said.
From MarketWatch ● Mar. 13, 2026
The safety margin applied had been "negated by the unexpected onset of the large vertical oscillations, which caused the car to touch the ground", he said.
From BBC ● Nov. 27, 2025
The Brewers’ bullpen was supposed to be superior to the Dodgers’, but that advantage has been negated by the Dodgers’ superior starting pitching.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2025
His skills negated the handicap; he once won on a horse carrying fifteen pounds more than his impost.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
It was Silva here who amended City's press, negating Liverpool's change.
From BBC ● Apr. 16, 2026
The flip side is that big tech firms, oil exporters and other businesses with overseas customers could see a boost, potentially negating some of the negative effects of a weaker dollar.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 28, 2026
Boy Kavalier thinks he owns him, negating all necessity for his subject’s approval.
From Salon ● Aug. 31, 2025
But its Feb. 23 show will air after Oscar voting has ended, negating the impact of any speeches and celebratory moments.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 9, 2025
I apologize for the double negative, but it’s a real double negative of a situation, a bind from which negating the negation is truly the only escape.
From "Turtles All the Way Down" by John Green
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
