negative

adjective
UK: /ˈneɡətɪv/
US: /ˈneɡətɪv/

  1. Meaning 'no' or expressing disapproval.

    1. My answer to his proposal was a negative one. [ ] [ ]
    2. The test results were negative, thankfully relieving her anxiety about the illness. [ ] [ ]

  2. Bad or harmful.

    1. The news had a negative impact on everyone. [ ] [ ]
    2. Constant criticism can have a very negative effect on a child's self-esteem. [ ] [ ]

  3. A photograph in which light and dark areas are reversed.

    1. I need to develop the negatives from my camera. [ ] [ ]
    2. She examined the film negative closely, searching for any flaws before printing. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

pessimistic unfavorable bad
negative noun

  1. A reply or vote expressing disagreement or refusal.

    1. The vote was 50 positives, 25 negatives. [ ] [ ]
    2. Despite the potential benefits, there were several negatives associated with the plan. [ ] [ ]

  2. A piece of exposed film or a glass plate showing an image with light and dark areas reversed.

    1. I keep all my old negatives in a box. [ ] [ ]
    2. The photographer carefully stored the negatives to protect them from scratches and dust. [ ] [ ]
negative verb

  1. To refuse to accept or agree with something.

    1. The committee negatived the proposed changes. [ ] [ ]
    2. They chose to negative the suggestion, arguing it lacked sufficient detail. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "negative" in English means: Meaning 'no' or expressing disapproval., Bad or harmful., A photograph in which light and dark areas are reversed..

The phonetic transcription of "negative" is /ˈneɡətɪv/ in British English and /ˈneɡətɪv/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "negative": pessimistic, unfavorable, bad.

Example usage of "negative": "My answer to his proposal was a negative one.". More examples on the page.