The meaning of NOT is —used as a function word to make negative a group of words or a word. How to use not in a sentence.

Not is one of the most common words we use to indicate negation. It is often shortened to n’t and joined to an auxiliary verb or modal verb: … Not in negative statements (She hasn’t …, I did …

NOT definition: (used to express negation, denial, refusal, or prohibition). See examples of not used in a sentence.

In conversation, when not is used after be, have, do, or a modal, it is not usually pronounced in full. When you write down what someone says, you usually represent not as n't and add it to …

The adverb not is used for negation. Do you like drinking cod liver oil? No, I do not like drinking cod liver oil.

You use not when you are contrasting something that is true with something that is untrue. You use this especially to indicate that people might think that the untrue statement is true.

Not, the general declarative form of "no", indicating a negation of a related statement that usually precedes ... Not!, a grammatical construction used as a contradiction, popularized in the early …

Dec 14, 2025 · In this case not cannot appear after the verb; some authorities recommend placing it before to to avoid a split infinitive, but for most speakers the forms not to do and to not do …

(used before a singular count noun) not even one (expressing emphasis about the lack of something):[~ + a/one + noun] He had not a penny to his name. Not a single missile got …

No is often used to indicate a straightforward denial, refusal, or the absence of something, whereas not is typically used to negate a verb, adjective, or another adverb, forming the …