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never
/ˈnɛvər/
at no time
I will never forget this moment.
This emphasizes the permanence of the memory.
general
At no time; not ever
She never lies to her friends.
This means she always tells the truth to her friends.
Often used to emphasize the absolute nature of a statement.
emphatic
Not at any time in the past, present, or future
He never even tried to apologize.
This suggests a complete lack of effort to say sorry.
Can express strong disapproval or disappointment.
Collocations
never mindused to dismiss something as unimportantnever everemphasizes the absolute nature of 'never'never againused to express a strong decision not to repeat something
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Emphasis
Use 'never' to strongly deny something or emphasize its impossibility.
Gold Rule
Negative Context
'Never' is always used in negative sentences or questions.
Word Origin
Old English 'nǣfre', from Proto-Germanic '*ne aiwī' (not ever)
Usage Notes
Often used with 'will' to express a strong negative future intention (e.g., 'I will never do that again').
Word Breakdown
ne-
not
prefix-ver
ever
rootEnglish Dictionary