1
as in hostile
marked by opposition or ill will
classes that hopefully will change the negative attitude that some students have toward the recent immigrants
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unfavorable
opposed to one's interests
the almost universally negative reaction to the book
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in veto
a vote or decision against something
in the absence of an unambiguous negative from the commander, we decided to continue on the mission
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in opposite
something that is as different as possible from something else
the desire to control another person is actually the negative of real love
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in disadvantage
a feature of someone or something that creates difficulty for achieving success
the main negative of this job is that I have to get up at 4:30 a.m.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to dismiss
to reject by or as if by a vote
although the rebuttal was very eloquent, the jury negatived it in favor of the prosecution's argument we promptly negatived the idea of having pizza again for dinner, noting that we had already had it for three nights that week
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to deny
to declare not to be true
the governor's press secretary promptly negatived the rumor that he was not intending to run for reelection
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3
as in to reject
to show unwillingness to accept, do, engage in, or agree to
even though I had originally negatived the invitation, Mom thought I should go anyway
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to offset
to balance with an equal force so as to make ineffective
no amount of flattery is likely to negative that overheard insult
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in to refuse
to be unwilling to grant
ultimately, we negatived the request for a personal loan
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of negative
Allie Kubik, Glamour, 1 Apr. 2026
But the measure has drawn skepticism from several Council members and youth advocates, who argue curfews risk increasing negative interactions between police and young people and fail to address underlying issues, such as a lack of youth programming and services.
—Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 1 Apr. 2026
Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 23 Mar. 2026
That came with pluses and negatives, but mostly the former, according to Alexa.
—Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2026
Yueqi Yang, Time, 20 Apr. 2022
Travelers also need to negative COVID-19 test within one day of flying to return to the United States.
—Dallas News, 7 Feb. 2022
See All Example Sentences for negative
Adjective
Thankfully, the kind of chemo my doctors recommended for my triple-negative breast cancer was fine to have during pregnancy, which was a blessing.
—Allie Kubik, Glamour, 1 Apr. 2026
But the measure has drawn skepticism from several Council members and youth advocates, who argue curfews risk increasing negative interactions between police and young people and fail to address underlying issues, such as a lack of youth programming and services.
—Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 1 Apr. 2026
Noun
The Angels balanced some of those negatives by getting an unexpected breakthrough from outfielder Jo Adell and better health from Trout, who had only played 29 games in 2024.
—Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 23 Mar. 2026
That came with pluses and negatives, but mostly the former, according to Alexa.
—Steve Millar, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2026
Verb
But with sales growth expected to go from triple digits in 2021 to negative this year, shares have tanked to a record low recently.
—Yueqi Yang, Time, 20 Apr. 2022
Travelers also need to negative COVID-19 test within one day of flying to return to the United States.
—Dallas News, 7 Feb. 2022
See All Example Sentences for negative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for negative
Adjective
-
The 45th president’s victory in the crowded 2016 primary effectively toppled the existing Republican Establishment, injecting the party with a combination of populism and distrust that was especially hostile to the way things were done before.—
Alex J. Rouhandeh,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Customers will keep fighting back with dirty returns, unused reservations and hostile reviews.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Missing the deadline can lock beneficiaries into unfavorable drug coverage for the year.—
Amanda Greenwood,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
-
But soon after, the city offered different rulings unfavorable to the Eddses as to where the boundaries are and where the couple could develop.—
Ashley Mackin Solomon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The legislature attempted, but ultimately failed, to override that veto.—
Nick Coltrain,
Denver Post,
30 Mar. 2026
-
The Minneapolis council attempted to override his veto last week, but fell short of the super-majority needed to do so.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Yet a Miami Herald investigation shows that Florida’s Department of Children and Families too often does just the opposite.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
-
From Romeo and Juliet to Ennis and Jack, here’s a look at nine romances that have had the opposite of happy endings.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
For decades, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation has offered college scholarships to Black students who faced disadvantages from attending underfunded schools in majority-Black districts.—
Julian Mark,
Washington Post,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Any disadvantage there may be in waiting a week or 10 days to get started on the portal is offset, probably outweighed, by the attention and excitement being built for BC basketball by their incoming coach’s presence on national TV, associated with a Final Four team.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Authorities had since dismissed her lawyers’ requests to send her to a hospital for urgent treatment.—
Cora Engelbrecht,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
-
There is a long history of women's pain being dismissed by doctors, incorrectly categorized as period pain or rooted in psychological distress.—
Madeline Mitchell,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
For certain great artists, Meis believes, the creative act is a safe harbor where life’s pressures, exigencies, and calamities aren’t so much denied or resolved as reimagined as pictorial dramas.—
Jed Perl,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Judge Antonio Arzola denied the request for a standard bond, citing probable cause, and issued an elevated $5,000 bond.—
Nikiya Carrero,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Olsson rejects The Athletic’s offer to take cover inside the coffee shop.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Last week, for example, the UK government rejected plans by a Chinese company, Ming Yang, to invest in a Scottish factory to produce wind turbine blades, citing national security reasons.—
Andy Browne,
semafor.com,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Negative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/negative. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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