negative feedback

British

noun

See feedback

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

negative feedback Scientific

Feedback in which the output quantity or signal lowers the input quantity or signal. Negative feedback is used in natural and artificial regulatory mechanisms, as well as in the design of oscillators.

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.

"When we scratch an itch, at some point we stop because there's a negative feedback signal that tells us we're satisfied," Gualdani explained.

From Science Daily • May 10, 2026

“What looked like a clean glide path into the weekend could instead fracture into yet another Monday-open negative feedback loop, where price chases headlines and then headlines chase price. “

From MarketWatch • Apr. 19, 2026

Altman called Dario and Daniela into a conference room and accused them of plotting against him by encouraging colleagues to send negative feedback about him to the board.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 28, 2026

The latest iteration of the storied newscast has generated negative feedback on social media for its content.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 9, 2026

I’ve gotten so far with this story that I’m nervous any negative feedback might make me quit.

From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023