certainly not

adverb
UK: /ˈsɜːtnli nɒt/
US: /ˈsɜːrtənli nɑːt/

  1. Used to strongly disagree with something or to refuse permission.

    1. Are you going to the party? Certainly not, I'm too tired. [ ] [ ]
    2. Can I borrow your car for the weekend? Certainly not, it needs to be repaired first. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

of course not not at all never
certainly not interjection

  1. An emphatic way of saying 'no'.

    1. Do you think he will win? Certainly not! [ ] [ ]
    2. Is she happy about the decision? Certainly not; she's furious about it. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The phonetic transcription of "certainly not" is /ˈsɜːtnli nɒt/ in British English and /ˈsɜːrtənli nɑːt/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "certainly not": of course not, not at all, never.

Example usage of "certainly not": "Are you going to the party? Certainly not, I'm too tired.". More examples on the page.