never

advnot at any time

Synonyms for never

adv not at any time

Antonyms for never

Word Origin & History

Old English næfre "never," compound of ne "not, no" (from PIE root *ne- "no, not;" see un-) + æfre "ever" (see ever). Early used as an emphatic form of not (as still in never mind). Old English, unlike its modern descendant, had the useful custom of attaching ne to words to create their negatives, as in nabban for na habban "not to have."

Italian giammai, French jamais, Spanish jamas are from Latin iam "already" + magis "more;" thus literally "at any time, ever," originally with a negative, but this has been so thoroughly absorbed in sense as to be formally omitted.

Phrase never say die "don't despair" is from 1818. Never Never Land is first attested in Australia as a name for the uninhabited northern part of Queensland (1884), perhaps so called because anyone who had gone there once never wished to return. Meaning "imaginary, illusory or utopian place" first attested 1900 in American English.

Example Sentences for never

I have never seen the soul withdrawn without a struggle with the body.

Yet the great lady is not careless of engagements, and the wait is never prolonged.

Besides, I never felt contempt for anything to which the gods had given life.

The haughtiness of others can never make us angry, if we ourselves are humble.

"I never saw a philosopher that dressed so well as Plato," said Eudora.

He has clothed the Graces, though the Graces never clothed him.

But believe me, Eudora, Alcibiades will never divorce Hipparete.

A foreign stain floated on the surface, but never mingled with its waters.

Moreover, she will never again have opportunity to exert influence over me.

It was motionless as marble; but never had she seen anything so beautiful, and so unearthly.

never

Synonyms for never

Antonyms for never

More words related to never

no

no

nope