never

A1 Topic:Describing Qualities

Also spelled ne’er, niver, and nivir

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

Minimal pairs

Sounds like nether /ð/ vs /v/

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

Appears in

Idioms (1)

See all

now or never
A moment when immediate action is necessary because the opportunity will not return.

Proverbs (113)

See all

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

Describing Qualities

External links

# never

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A1
**Part of speech:** adv, 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
- Describing Qualities

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