neutral

[ noo-truhl, nyoo- ]

/ ˈnu trəl, ˈnyu- /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: neutral / neutrals / neutrally on Thesaurus.com

adjective

not taking part or giving assistance in a dispute or war between others: a neutral nation during World War II.

not aligned with or supporting any side or position in a controversy: The arbitrator was absolutely neutral.

of or belonging to a neutral state or party: neutral territory.

of no particular kind, characteristics, etc.; indefinite: a neutral personality that made no impression whatever; a sex-neutral job title.

(of a color or shade)

gray; without hue; of zero chroma; achromatic.
matching well with many or most other colors or shades, as white or beige.

Botany, Zoology. neuter.

not causing or reflecting a change in something: It is believed that the new tax law will be revenue neutral.

Chemistry. exhibiting neither acid nor alkaline qualities: neutral salts.

Physics.

(of a particle) having no charge.
(of an atom, molecule, collection of particles, fluid, or solid) having no net charge; electroneutral; not electrified.
not magnetized.

Phonetics. (of a vowel) pronounced with the tongue relaxed in a central position, as the a in alive; reduced.

noun

a person or a nation that remains neutral, as in a controversy or war.

a citizen of a neutral nation during a war.

Machinery, Automotive. the position or state of disengaged gears or other interconnecting parts: in neutral.

a neutral color.

OTHER WORDS FOR neutral

2 impartial, disinterested, dispassionate, uninvolved, unbiased.

See synonyms for neutral on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

ARE YOU A TRUE BLUE CHAMPION OF THESE "BLUE" SYNONYMS?

We could talk until we're blue in the face about this quiz on words for the color "blue," but we think you should take the quiz and find out if you're a whiz at these colorful terms.

Question 1 of 8

Which of the following words describes “sky blue”?

navy

beryl

azure

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Meet Grammar Coach

Write or paste your essay, email, or story into Grammar Coach and get grammar help

Improve Your Writing

Meet Grammar CoachImprove Your Writing

Origin of neutral

1400–50; late Middle English <Latin neutrālis grammatically neuter. See neuter, -al¹

OTHER WORDS FROM neutral

neu·tral·ly, adverban·ti·neu·tral, adjective, nounan·ti·neu·tral·ly, adverbnon·neu·tral, adjective, noun

non·neu·tral·ly, adverbquasi-neutral, adjectivequa·si-neu·tral·ly, adverbsem·i·neu·tral, adjectiveun·neu·tral, adjectiveun·neu·tral·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

How to use neutral in a sentence

Keep your core engaged and your spine neutral throughout the entire movement.
Strength Training for Lower-Back Pain|Lauren Bedosky|November 18, 2020|Outside Online
Then Poirier adopts a neutral voice, going back to the cathedral’s beginnings in 1163, when Bishop Maurice de Sully decided that he needed a grander church, one that would take almost two centuries to build.
Watching the flames burn Notre Dame, the spiritual heart of France|Elaine Sciolino|November 6, 2020|Washington Post
It allows companies to assert to customers, policymakers and others that they’re operating in a climate neutral way, while continuing to produce more planet-warming gases, on a ton-for-ton basis, than the programs are removing.
How Amazon’s offsets could exaggerate its progress toward “net zero” emissions|James Temple|November 2, 2020|MIT Technology Review
If you adjust each team’s scoring margin for strength of schedule, Tampa Bay should be a 22-point favorite over the Giants on a neutral field.
NFL best bets for Week 8 include Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers|Neil Greenberg|October 29, 2020|Washington Post

In 2018, American University became the first university in the country to achieve carbon-neutral status by investing in carbon offsets, supporting renewable energy and expanding recycling efforts.
Georgetown University to power campus with electricity from solar plants|Lauren Lumpkin|October 29, 2020|Washington Post
Few will be heartened by the fact that the debt will oppress race-neutrally.
Did Needs-Blind Admission Create the College Debt Crisis?|John McWhorter|July 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
So long as the goals are approved democratically and the instruments are applied neutrally, fine.
The Green Stimulus' Red Ink|David Frum|December 3, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Naturally then—and I use the word as neutrally as I can—there are going to be two sets of reactions in play here.
A Tale of Male Surrender|Simon Carr|June 20, 2009|DAILY BEAST
"It ought to be refreshing," struck in Courtlandt, neutrally.
The Adventures of a Widow|Edgar Fawcett
Epithets like "man-beholding," or "guarding the way," suit neutrally both conceptions.
Cerberus, The Dog of Hades|Maurice Bloomfield
But honesty only asked her neutrally, "Is it really growth and freedom, and generous expansion of the soul?"
The Brimming Cup|Dorothy Canfield Fisher
"Miss Teller has gone to Multomah, I believe," she remarked, neutrally.
Anne|Constance Fenimore Woolson
He gives the general view of things, clearly, neutrally, with no vulgar emphasis of black and white.
An Introduction to the Study of Browning|Arthur Symons

British Dictionary definitions for neutral

neutral

/ (ˈnjuːtrəl) /

adjective

not siding with any party to a war or dispute

of, belonging to, or appropriate to a neutral party, country, etcneutral land

of no distinctive quality, characteristics, or type; indifferent

(of a colour such as white or black) having no hue; achromatic

(of a colour) dull, but harmonizing with most other colours

a less common term for neuter (def. 2)

chem neither acidic nor alkaline

physics having zero charge or potential

rare having no magnetism

phonetics (of a vowel) articulated with the tongue relaxed in mid-central position and the lips midway between spread and roundedthe word ``about'' begins with a neutral vowel

noun

a neutral person, nation, etc

a citizen of a neutral state

the position of the controls of a gearbox that leaves the transmission disengaged

Derived forms of neutral

neutrally, adverb

Word Origin for neutral

C16: from Latin neutrālis; see neuter

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

Medical definitions for neutral

neutral

[ nōō′trəl ]

adj.

Belonging to neither kind; not one thing or the other; indifferent.

Of or relating to a solution or compound that is neither acidic nor alkaline.

Of or relating to a compound that does not ionize in solution.

Of or relating to a particle, object, or system that has a net electric charge of zero.

Scientific definitions for neutral

neutral

[ nōō′trəl ]

Neither acid nor alkaline.

Having no inherent or net charge, especially electric charge.

neutral

OTHER WORDS FOR neutral

Origin of neutral

OTHER WORDS FROM neutral

Words related to neutral

How to use neutral in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for neutral

Derived forms of neutral

Word Origin for neutral

Medical definitions for neutral

Scientific definitions for neutral