negation
/nɪˈɡeɪʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /nɪˈɡeɪʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /ni-ˈgā-shən/ (ame, mw)
negation — noun
- negationsingular
- negationsplural
1. the process by which one thing wipes out or undoes the effect of another, so tha
the process by which one thing wipes out or undoes the effect of another, so that what existed before no longer has any force.
The new tax cuts were a negation of every reform Lucía's team had pushed through last year.
negation of + noun phrase (cancelling-out reading)
Critics argued that the bypass road would be a negation of the city's twenty-year cycling plan.
abstract subject ('the bypass road') performing the cancelling-out
For Arjun, the surprise eviction felt like a complete negation of everything he had built since moving to Manchester.
Allowing private rigs back into the bay would amount to a negation of the marine protection rules signed in 2019.
- nullification
more formal, often legal; suggests an official cancelling
- undoing
more everyday; less abstract
- reversal
implies turning a previous decision around, not just cancelling it
- preservation
keeping in force rather than wiping out
文法句型
negation of [something]
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 2: this sense focuses on the active undoing of something that previously existed or had force; sense 2 is about the static state of being the opposite.
常見錯誤
2. a person, thing, or situation that stands as the direct opposite of another, or
a person, thing, or situation that stands as the direct opposite of another, or the complete absence of a quality that should be there.
Ezra's quiet kindness at the shelter felt like the negation of everything his father had stood for.
'the negation of [abstract noun]' for stark opposition
The empty foodbank shelves in December were a stark negation of the mayor's promise of a fed city.
adjective 'stark' commonly modifies negation in this sense
Xiu described the cramped student flats as the negation of the architect's original idea of open community living.
Many readers see the novel's ending as a deliberate negation of the romantic hopes the early chapters build up.
- antithesis
more literary; emphasises sharp contrast
- opposite
everyday word; less formal than negation
- contradiction
highlights the logical clash between two things
- embodiment
being the full expression of, not the opposite of
文法句型
the negation of [noun]
用法筆記
Subject is usually an event, condition, or person framed against an ideal or promise. Unlike sense 1, no active 'undoing' is implied — the contrast simply exists.
常見錯誤
3. the act of refusing a request, offer, or invitation, or of disagreeing with a pr
the act of refusing a request, offer, or invitation, or of disagreeing with a proposal that has been put forward.
Christopher took the chairman's slow head shake as a polite negation of his funding request.
common verb pairing: 'take [gesture] as a negation of [request]'
Indra waited for an answer, but only got a silent negation when the manager turned away.
adjective 'silent' marking refusal without spoken words
After three rounds of negation from the planning office, Eli finally withdrew the building application.
Obi felt the panel's swift negation of his proposal even before any member had spoken.
- acceptance
agreeing to a request or offer
- assent
formal agreement
文法句型
negation of a request
in negation
用法筆記
Frequently paired with abstract sources of authority (panel, office, board). Distinguish from sense 4: here the refusal targets a request or offer; in sense 4, what is denied is the truth of a statement.
常見錯誤
4. a statement, or the act of producing one, declaring that some claim is false; in
a statement, or the act of producing one, declaring that some claim is false; in grammar and logic, the operation that turns a true claim into a false one and vice versa.
Ziad's report was a flat negation of the claim that the lift had been checked.
'a flat negation of [a claim]' — bare denial of truth
In English, the negation of 'she is hungry' is formed simply by adding 'not' after the verb.
grammar-textbook reading: 'the negation of [sentence]'
Élise structured her thesis as a careful negation of the older view of the trade routes.
In logic class, students learn that the negation of a true sentence is always false.
- denial
everyday word for stating something is not true
- contradiction
stresses the clash with what was claimed
- rebuttal
argues against a claim with reasons, not just states the opposite
- affirmation
stating that something is true
文法句型
a negation of [a claim]
in negation
用法筆記
Frequently used in linguistics and logic with a precise technical meaning. Outside those fields, prefer 'denial' or 'rebuttal' in everyday writing — 'negation of a claim' sounds quite academic.