The meaning of NEGATIVE is marked by denial, prohibition, or refusal; also : marked by absence, withholding, or removal of something positive. How to use negative in a sentence.

When we want to say that something is not true or is not the case, we can use negative words, phrases or clauses. Negation can happen in a number of ways, most commonly, when we use a negative …

Feb 1, 2026 · Adjective negative (comparative more negative, superlative most negative) Not positive or neutral; bad; undesirable; unfavourable.

A negative is a word, expression, or gesture that means 'no' or 'not'. In the past we have heard only negatives when it came to following a healthy diet.

Indicating opposition or resistance: a negative reaction to the new advertising campaign. 2. Lacking positive or constructive features, especially: a. Unpleasant; disagreeable: had a negative experience …

a negative statement, answer, word, gesture, etc.: to answer a request with a negative; Words such as no, not, nor, and nobody are negatives. See in the negative below.

A double negative is a construction occurring when two forms of grammatical negation are used in the same sentence.

NEGATIVE definition: expressing or containing negation or denial. See examples of negative used in a sentence.

There are 23 meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun negative, nine of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

[more negative; most negative] : thinking about the bad qualities of someone or something : thinking that a bad result will happen : not hopeful or optimistic