not really

idiom

used to say "no" in a way that is not very forceful or definite
"Was the movie good?" "Not really."
"Do you want to go to a movie?" "No, not really."

Examples of not really in a Sentence

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There’s not really much phone stuff. Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 19 Sep. 2025 One of them perhaps but not really. Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2025 Therefore, there’s not really a specific timeframe on transitions between officers. Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Sep. 2025 And my goal is not really to hit a certain number on a scale anymore. Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 18 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for not really

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Cite this Entry

“Not really.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/not%20really. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.

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