WordGarden.ionegation
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /nɪɡˈeɪʃən/
US
- /nəˈɡeɪʃən/
Meanings
Noun
the grammatical marking of a clause or statement as negative
a formal operation that reverses the truth value or force of a proposition or condition
the denial, rejection, or cancellation of something
Beyond the definition
Negation is the act of saying that something is not true, does not exist, or should be understood in a negative way. It is like drawing a line through an idea and saying, "Not this." Think about a detective solving a mystery; they rule out suspects and possibilities until only the truth remains.
You can do this with words like "not" and "no," or with prefixes like "un-" or "dis-." For example, saying "It is not raining" changes the statement "It is raining" into its negative form. In logic and mathematics, it is an important tool for testing ideas and proving points. Everyday speech is full of it too. When you say, "I don't want pizza," you are using it to show what is not wanted.
Negation is the process of denying or contradicting something. It's more than just saying "no"; it is a fundamental concept in logic, language, and even our everyday thinking. At its core, negation asserts that a statement, fact, or belief is false.
In grammar, negation often involves using words like "not," "never," and "none," or negative prefixes such as "un-", "dis-", "in-", or "im-" (think unhappy, disagree, or impossible). For example, "She did not go to the party" is a direct negation of her attendance.
However, negation can be more subtle. Sometimes it is implied rather than explicitly stated. For instance, saying "He is innocent" effectively negates the claim that he is guilty.
Negation is vital in technical fields like mathematics and computer science. In logic, the negation of a statement (often symbolized with or a line over the statement) is crucial for building arguments and proving theorems. In programming, it is used to create conditional logic—the classic "If not X, then do Y."
Beyond technical applications, we use negation constantly in everyday life. We negate requests ("I can't help you right now"), express disagreement ("That's not true!"), or simply state our preferences ("I don't like coffee"). So, whether it is a formal logical argument or a casual conversation, negation is the power to say what isn't, and in doing so, we often clarify what is.
Examples
- 1
Basic grammar
In the sentence "I don't agree," the word "don't" shows negation.
- 2
Negative markers
English often uses "not" or "n't" to express negation.
- Phraseexpress negation
make a sentence negative
- 3
Dialect and register
A double negation can sound natural in some dialects, but it is usually avoided in formal writing.
- Grammardouble negation
using two negative words together
- 4
Logic
In logic, the negation of "all students passed" is "not all students passed."
- Patternthe negation of + statement
the statement that is true when the first one is false
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Strong rejection
For many workers, the new policy felt like a negation of everything the company had promised.
- Patterna negation of + idea/promise
a strong rejection or opposite of it
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Do not confuse
Used with (collocations)
- logical negation
- grammatical negation
- double negation
- negation of a statement
Word family
Explore
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- negationnoun
Forms
- negationspluralnoun