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never

never

∞ 1.0
At no time in the past or future, not ever
  • adverb
  • /ˈnɛvər/
: nunca
  • You can change and you can move around, but never, ever give up.
  • never know
  • never see
  • never get

It was not fair, never, never fair to her.

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Examples

  • You know, we just would never have to say goodbye.

  • It's none of your business, and it never has been.

  • Most who go into it never come back.

  • And she said, I never wanted to change the world.

  • Like they would never reach out to us.

  • What do you want them to never, ever change?

  • The question for writers, always, is never simply, "What must I do in order to write?"

    Academic text (2011)
  • While the tax increases were real, Congress never delivered on the spending cuts.

    Academic text (2011)
  • They scratch the surface and never think to look within.

  • I have never seen such beautiful scenery in my life.

Synonyms

ne'er
vsnever
  • Archaic
10 9.9

Not ever at any time

is the standard modern adverb used to say at no time

Antonyms

∞ 1.0

On every occasion without exception

Idioms

∞ 2.1

It does not happen at any time in the future

334 2.7

Telling someone not to worry and to forget what you said

now or never
  • Informal
27 3.9

Act immediately because there may not be another chance

To have other people keep talking about something embarrassing or annoying

never you mind
  • Informal
5 8.9

Tell someone not to worry about something

Being completely sure about something even when you are wrong

2 7.5

Always alert and ready to react to news and events

Words you say when you are surprised to see someone in an unexpected place

1 7.8

Keeps trying and does not stop even when it would be wiser to give up

first of never
  • Informal
9.9

People say this to show that something will not happen

To keep wanting more and trying to improve without accepting being average

A phrase that says hurt to the body is worse than insults and words do not hurt

A saying that you should not expect a wild person or thing to behave calmly

Compounds

never-never land
  • Literature
7 8.8

A made-up perfect place that exists only in dreams

Never-Never
  • Australian
6 9.9

A very remote part of the Australian outback that is wild and harsh

Never Never
  • Australian
4 9.9

A remote part of the Australian outback that is very empty and hard to reach

never-was
  • Offensive
3 9.3

A person or thing that never succeeds and never becomes known

never-say-die
  • Informal
3 7.4

A person who shows strong hope and refuses to give up

A long experience that goes on and on

never-never world
  • Literature
1 9.9

An imagined place or state not connected to real life

never-never
  • Archaic
8.8

To pay for something by small regular payments over time instead of paying all at once

How Often

always
∞ 1.0
often
∞ 1.0
sometimes
∞ 1.0
occasionally
407 2.0
rarely
508 1.0
never
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

never positive

Etymology

Never comes from two old parts: ne- meaning 'not' and ever meaning 'at any time', so it literally means 'not at any time'.