never

American  

[nev-er] / ˈnɛv ər /

adverb

1. not ever; at no time.

   Such an idea never occurred to me.

2. not at all; absolutely not.

   never mind;

   This will never do.

3. to no extent or degree.

   He was never the wiser for his experience.

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idioms

1. never cease to amaze. never cease to amaze.

2. never mind, don't bother; don't concern yourself.

never British  

/ ˈnɛvə /

adverb

1. at no time; not ever

2. certainly not; by no means; in no case

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interjection

1. Also: well I never!.  surely not!

never More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing never

• better late than never
• it never rains but it pours
• lightning never strikes twice
• now or never
• watched pot never boils
• wonders will never cease
• you never can tell

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Usage

In informal speech and writing, never can be used instead of not with the simple past tenses of certain verbs for emphasis ( I never said that; I never realized how clever he was ), but this usage should be avoided in serious writing

Etymology

Origin of never

First recorded before 900; from Middle English, from Old English nǣfre, equivalent to ne “not” + ǣfre ever ( def. ); neither ( def. ), nought ( def. )

Example Sentences

She says she never imagined living through a moment that would leave her feeling both heartbroken and profoundly proud of her city.

From Salon • Apr. 6, 2026

The students had never seen a criminal case file before, but already, they thought they were on to something.

From Slate • Apr. 6, 2026

Foreign investment has never come close to reaching the level Prince Mohammed needed to fully enact his Vision 2030.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

The astronauts have already started seeing features of the celestial body never before viewed with a naked human eye.

From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026

If I hadn’t known this was Mr. Harris’s room, I’d never have guessed it was his.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam