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negative polarity JUST WRITTEN FOR YOU

/nɛgətɪv pɒlərɪti/ · neg.a.tive.pol.a.rity
noun
  1. A property of a word or phrase that indicates its meaning is opposite or contrary to what is expected. The negative polarity of the phrase 'not happy' emphasizes the speaker's dissatisfaction.
noun
  1. A characteristic of a linguistic expression that conveys a sense of negation or opposition. The negative polarity of the sentence 'I don't want to go' is evident in the use of the negation 'don't'.
noun
  1. A feature of a language or dialect that influences the interpretation of words or phrases. The negative polarity of a language can affect the way speakers understand and use certain words or phrases.

Synonyms

negativitypolarityoppositioncontrarietynegationantipathyaverseness

Antonyms

positive polarityaffirmationassertionagreementconcurrencecooperation
Did you know? The concept of negative polarity has been influential in the development of formal languages and programming languages, where it is used to specify the behavior of logical operators and control structures.

Related terms

polaritynegationoppositioncontrarietysemanticspragmaticslinguistics
Written by Lexi Wordsworth, Dictionary Editor 0 lookups Added Jul 15, 2026