English · Word Candidate

negative

/ˈnɛɡ.ə.tɪv/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: negatives · negativing · negatived

Sense 1

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

Not positive or neutral; bad; undesirable; unfavourable.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

không tích cực hoặc trung lập

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Adjective

Examples

The high exchange rate will have a negative effect on our profits.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

Of a number: less than zero.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

nhỏ hơn không

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Adjective

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

Refusal or withholding of assents; prohibition, veto

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Từ chối hoặc giữ lại sự đồng ý; cấm, phủ quyết

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Noun

Examples

“Upon my word, I can’t eat a morsel,” answered the lady […] There is indeed in perfect beauty a power which none almost can withstand; for my landlady, though she was not pleased at the negative given to the supper, declared she had never seen so lovely a creature.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 4

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

An unfavorable point or characteristic.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Điểm hoặc đặc điểm không thuận lợi

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “negative” mean?

Not positive or neutral; bad; undesirable; unfavourable.

Is “negative” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.