What is not? How to use in English

Discover the meaning of not in English, its pronunciation, and how to use it correctly in real-life situations. See examples and easy memorization tips.

Definition & pronunciation of not

notadverb

không

/nɒt/

Definition & pronunciation of <strong>not</strong>

Where does the word not come from?

The word "not" has a rich history. It originated from Old English "nōt" or "nāt," which was used as an adverb to indicate negation or opposition. This Old English word is believed to have come from the Proto-Germanic word "*na-" and the Proto-Indo-European root "*ne," which is also the source of other negation words in various Indo-European languages. In Middle English (circa 1100-1500), "not" evolved to have multiple forms, including "not," "nawt," and "neither." It was often used in opposition to affirmative statements, such as "I go" and "I do not go." Over time, the spelling and pronunciation of "not" have remained relatively consistent, while its usage and context have expanded to include a range of negating and opposing meanings in modern English.

Vocabulary summary not

typeadverb

meaningAre not

exampleI did not say so

examplenot without reason: not without reason

meaningsurely

examplehe'll be at home now, as likes as not

meaningnot that

examplenot that I fear him

typeDefault

meaningAre not

Example of vocabulary notnamespace

meaning

used with be, do or have to form the negative of verbs; used to form the negative of modal verbs like can or must

  • She did not/didn’t see him.
  • It’s not/It isn’t raining.
  • It's cold, isn't it?
  • Don't you eat meat?
  • I can't see from here.
meaning

used to give the following word or phrase a negative meaning, or to reply in the negative

  • He warned me not to be late.
  • I was sorry not to have seen them.
  • Not everybody agrees.
  • They had still not decided.
  • ‘Who's next?’ ‘Not me.’
meaning

used after hope, expect, believe, etc. to give a negative reply

  • ‘Will she be there?’ ‘I hope not.’
  • ‘Is it ready?’ ‘I'm afraid not.’
  • ‘Does he know?’ ‘I believe not.’
meaning

used to show a negative possibility

  • I don't know if he's telling the truth or not.
  • Whether you succeed or not depends on the how skilled you are.
meaning

used to say that you do not want something or will not allow something

  • ‘Some more?’ ‘Not for me, thanks.’
  • ‘Can I throw this out?’ ‘Certainly not.’
meaning

even less than

  • She was standing not three feet in front of me.
meaning

used to suggest that the opposite of the following word or phrase is true

  • This could all happen in the not too distant future (= soon).
  • His view on the matter was not a million miles away from (= close to) mine.
meaning

used to emphasize the opposite of a statement

  • Well, that sounds like a fun evening—not!

Synonyms and related words for not

Idioms of vocabulary not

not a…
used for emphasis to mean ‘no thing or person’
  • He didn't speak to me—not one word.
not at all
used to politely accept thanks or to agree to something
  • ‘Thanks a lot.’ ‘Not at all.’
  • ‘Will it bother you if I smoke?’ ‘Not at all.’
not only… (but) (also)…
used to emphasize that something else is also true
  • She not only wrote the text but also selected the illustrations.
  • He not only read the book, but also remembered what he had read.
not that
used to state that you are not suggesting something
  • She hasn't written—not that she said she would.

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