negative

NEG-uh-tiv/ˈnɛɡətɪv/

23 meanings of negative

1
badadjective
Bad or unpleasant, not good, as with an effect, a feeling, or an opinion.
Like a thumbs-down instead of a thumbs-up.
She got a lot of negative comments about her new haircut.
Too much negative news can make you feel sad.
UsageSay a negative effect on something. The opposite is positive.
2
with minus signadjective
Less than zero, like -5, or a temperature below zero.
Like owing money instead of having it.
It was negative eight degrees when we left for school.
If you spend more than you have, your balance goes negative.
UsageSay negative five or minus five for -5.
Note
3
nouncountable
A bad point or downside of something.
Like the bad column on a list of good and bad things.
Every job has its negatives, like long hours.
One negative of the apartment is the noisy street outside.
UsageOften: the positives and negatives of something.
Similardrawback, disadvantage, downside, minus
Oppositepositive, advantage, plus, upside
4
test resultadjective
Of a test, for example for an illness: showing that the thing being checked for was not found.
Like a search that turns up nothing: the thing you looked for isn't there.
Her COVID test came back negative, so she went to work.
His flu test came back negative, so he went to school.
UsageSay you tested negative, or the test came back negative. This is usually good news.
Note
5
expecting the worstadjective
Usually expecting bad things and rarely seeing the good side.
Like always seeing a glass as half empty.
Stop being so negative. Things will get better soon.
He has a negative attitude about almost everything.
UsageSay negative about something. Calling a person negative is a criticism.
Similarpessimistic, gloomy, cynical, defeatist
Oppositepositive, optimistic
6
photo filmnouncountable
A photo image in which light and dark areas are swapped.
Like a drawing where black and white have traded places.
She held the negative up to the light to see the picture.
Old film negatives can be scanned into a computer.
Oppositepositive
Note
7
electric chargeadjective
Having the kind of electric charge that an electron carries.
Like the minus end of a battery.
Electrons carry a negative charge.
A negative charge pulls toward a positive one.
Oppositepositive
Note
8
nouncountable
A number or amount that is less than zero.
Like owing five dollars instead of having five.
When you subtract eight from five, you get a negative.
The answer was a negative, not a positive number.
UsagePeople say two negatives make a positive about multiplying.
Oppositepositive
9
with not (grammar)adjective
Saying that something is not true or not the case.
Like answering "no" instead of "yes."
A negative sentence uses words like "not" or "never."
"I didn't go" is a negative statement.
UsageSay a negative sentence. The opposite is affirmative or positive.
Oppositeaffirmative
10
nouncountable
A statement saying that something did not happen or does not exist.
Like saying 'that never happened' instead of 'that happened.'
He answered with a flat negative, saying he had not seen the car.
Proving a negative is hard, because you must show something never happened.
UsageOften in prove a negative, meaning show that something did not happen or does not exist.
Similardenial

Less common meanings

11
blood typeadjective
Of blood or a blood type: not having the Rh factor on its red blood cells.
She has A negative blood, just like her mother.
The nurse checked whether my blood type was positive or negative.
UsageSay O negative or A negative: the word comes after the letter.
Oppositepositive
Note
12
no (radio)interjection
Used as a reply meaning no.
Negative, I did not see the other car.
"Do you see the truck?" "Negative, the road is empty."
UsageUse it as a complete reply meaning no. You can add a short explanation.
Similarno
Oppositeaffirmative, yes
13
study findingadjective
Not supporting the idea being tested, or not finding the condition being checked for.
Like a search that finds nothing: proof that what you looked for isn't there.
Each experiment came back negative, giving the idea no support.
The study's results were negative, so the theory looked wrong.
Oppositepositive
14
nouncountable
A word like 'no' or 'not' that shows something is being denied.
Like a stop sign for an idea: it tells you something is not happening.
In English, 'not' is a negative that tells you something isn't true.
Using two negatives in one sentence can make it hard to follow.
UsagePeople say a double negative when two of these work together, as in "I don't know nothing."
Note
15
adjective
Describing a photo image where light parts look dark, dark parts look light, and colors are swapped.
Like looking at a photo where everything is its opposite color.
The negative film showed strange, reversed colors.
On the negative strip, the bright sky looked dark.
Similarinverted, reversed
Oppositepositive
16
turn downverbtransitive
To say no to something and turn it down.
Like voting no to stop a plan.
The upper house can negative a bill that the lower house has passed.
The committee negatived the amendment without any debate.
UsagePast form: negatived. Used mostly for bills and plans.
Similarreject, defeat, veto, refuse
Oppositeapprove, pass, accept
Note
17
contradictverbtransitive
To say or show that something someone claims is not true.
Like proving someone wrong by showing the opposite is true.
Her testimony negatived everything the suspect had claimed.
The lawyer used the video to negative the witness's story.
18
cancel outverbtransitive
To stop something from working or having any effect.
Like erasing what you just wrote so it no longer counts.
The judge ruled that the later letter negatived the earlier promise.
These words in the contract negative any promise about the car's condition.
UsageOften: was negatived by something. Negate means the same.
Similarnegate, nullify, neutralize, cancel, offset
Note
19
weightliftingnouncountable
A weightlifting move where you slowly lower a weight instead of lifting it.
Like slowly letting a heavy door close instead of pushing it open.
His trainer added slow negatives at the end of every set.
She finished the workout with a tough negative on the pull-up bar.
UsageSay you do negatives at the gym.
Similareccentric
20
refusalnouncountable
A refusal to allow or agree to something.
Like a red light that tells you to stop.
The town board voted in the negative on the new mall.
I asked to borrow the car, but Dad answered in the negative.
UsageSay answer in the negative, meaning say no.
Similarveto, refusal, rejection
Note
21
adjective
None at all. People say it as a joke to make zero sound even smaller.
I got negative sleep last night because the baby kept crying.
I have negative interest in watching another cooking show tonight, so let's pick a movie.
UsageA joke: negative sleep means no sleep at all.
Similarzero
Note
22
noun
The part of a battery that has the minus charge.
23
adjective
Acting like a nonmetal rather than like a metal.

Practice

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Origin

It came through Old French from Latin negativus, meaning 'that denies', from negare, 'to deny'.

Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

English negative came through Old French from Latin negativus. en.wiktionary.org
Latin negativus means 'that denies'. en.wiktionary.org
Latin negativus derives from negare, meaning 'to deny'. en.wiktionary.org