never

A1 Topic:Time

Also spelled ne’er, niver, and nivir

US /ˈnɛv.ɚ/ UK /ˈnɛv.ə/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like nether /ð/ vs /v/

adv verb intj Freq #109

Meanings

1

adv
At no time; not at any moment.

I have never been to Japan.
2

adv
Not at all; in no way.

This will never work.
3

intj
Used to express shock or disbelief at something.

"I've won the lottery!" "Never!"

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adv · at no time; not at any moment. ne'er

Opposites

always consistently constantly continually continuously ever forever

Word family

Derived forms never-benever-do-wellnever-dyingnever-endingnever-marriednever-nevernever-nudenever-say-dienever-smokernever-sweatnever-trumpernever-was

Related forms frequencyneveruary

Etymology

From Middle English nevere, navere, nævere, from Old English nǣfre (“never”), equivalent to ne + ever.

nevere Middle English nǣfre Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Time

# never

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A1
**Part of speech:** adv, verb, intj
**IPA (US):** ˈnɛv.ɚ
**IPA (UK):** ˈnɛv.ə
**Frequency rank:** 109

## Meanings
1. At no time; not at any moment.
2. Not at all; in no way.
3. Used to express shock or disbelief at something.

## Examples
- I have never been to Japan.
- This will never work.
- "I've won the lottery!" "Never!"

## Synonyms
- ne'er

## Antonyms
- always
- consistently
- constantly
- continually
- continuously
- ever
- forever

## Derived Forms
- never-be
- never-do-well
- never-dying
- never-ending
- never-married
- never-never
- never-nude
- never-say-die
- never-smoker
- never-sweat
- never-trumper
- never-was

## Related Forms
- frequency
- neveruary

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: nevere
- Root: nǣfre

## Etymology
From Middle English nevere, navere, nævere, from Old English nǣfre (“never”), equivalent to ne + ever.

## AI Etymology
Never comes from Middle English nevere, navere, nævere, from Old English nǣfre (“never”), equivalent to ne + ever. The historical chain includes Middle English nevere and Old English nǣfre. Modern senses include at no time; not at any moment and not at all; in no way. The wider word family includes derivatives such as never-be, never-do-well, never-dying, never-ending, never-married, and never-never and related forms such as frequency and neveruary.

## Topics
- Time

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