NEVER Definition & Meaning

View synonyms for

never

[ nev-er ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adverb

not ever; at no time:
Such an idea never occurred to me.
not at all; absolutely not:
never mind;
This will never do.
to no extent or degree:
He was never the wiser for his experience.

never

/ ˈ��ɛ��ə /

adverb

at no time; not ever
certainly not; by no means; in no case

interjection

Alsowell I never! surely not!

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Usage

In informal speech and writing, never can be used instead of not with the simple past tenses of certain verbs for emphasis ( I never said that; I never realized how clever he was ), but this usage should be avoided in serious writing

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of never¹

First recorded before 900; from Middle English, from Old English ��ǣ�ڰ��, equivalent to ne “not” + ǣ�ڰ�� ever ( def ); neither ( def ), nought ( def )

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of never¹

Old English ��ǣ�ڰ��, from ne not + æ�ڰ�� ever

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Idioms and Phrases

never mind, don't bother; don't concern yourself.
never cease to amaze. never cease to amaze.

More idioms and phrases containing never

better late than never
it never rains but it pours
lightning never strikes twice
now or never
watched pot never boils
wonders will never cease
you never can tell

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Example Sentences

"Removing old failing plaster to find these remarkable motifs and faces looking back at us is a moment we will never forget."

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"It's never been broken down into men's football and women's football. We've always just designed football pitches," he told BBC Sport.

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They got within five points in the final five minutes and within five in the final 60 seconds, but never within a single possession.

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He believed the opposition was taking orders from North Korea, or at least those who idolised the regime, though he never presented any proof.

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“Hailey faced every hurdle with so much courage and love—even though her body went through so much, she never wavered,” Matthew wrote in the post.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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