have-not

noun

ˈhav-ˌnät How to pronounce have-not (audio)
-ˈnät
Synonyms of have-notnext
: one that is poor especially in material wealth

Examples of have-not in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There’re also mounting calls for governments and companies around the world to address a growing divide between the haves and have-nots of a historic AI boom. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 2 July 2026 Historically in Chicago, parent fundraising has been a story of have versus have-not schools, a dynamic threatening to drive deeper inequity in a segregated district. Mila Koumpilova, Chicago Tribune, 22 June 2026 Trepidation over what the IPOs will do to affordability in the region is quickly making San Francisco a tale of two cities--one of the stocks-haves and have-nots. Martine Paris, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026 Often, football is described as a game of haves and have-nots. Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 11 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for have-not

Word History

First Known Use

1836, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of have-not was in 1836

Cite this Entry

“Have-not.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/have-not. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

have-not

noun
ˈhav-ˌnät
-ˈnät
: one that is poor in material wealth

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