not really

adverb
UK: /nɒt ˈrɪə.li/
US: /nɑːt ˈriː.ə.li/

  1. Used to say that something is not completely true or accurate.

    1. Are you tired? Not really, but I could use a break. [ ] [ ]
    2. I'm not really sure what to do next because the instructions were not clear enough. [ ] [ ]

  2. Used as a polite way of disagreeing with someone or refusing an offer.

    1. Do you want to go swimming? Not really, I'm feeling kind of tired. [ ] [ ]
    2. “Was the movie good?” “Not really; the plot was confusing and the acting was subpar.” [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

not exactly kind of sort of

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "not really" in English means: Used to say that something is not completely true or accurate., Used as a polite way of disagreeing with someone or refusing an offer..

The phonetic transcription of "not really" is /nɒt ˈrɪə.li/ in British English and /nɑːt ˈriː.ə.li/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "not really": not exactly, kind of, sort of.

Example usage of "not really": "Are you tired? Not really, but I could use a break.". More examples on the page.