How to Pronounce Negative

To pronounce "negative", say NEG-at-iv-e — 4 syllables, IPA /ˈnɛ(e)ɡəˌɾɪv/. Tap play below to hear it in four English accents, or practice it syllable by syllable.

negative

Tap to hear · American accent

Accent

If an accent sounds the same, your device is missing that voice — it falls back to the closest one.

Speed

Syllable by syllable — tap each one

Practice: Record & Compare

Record yourself saying negative, then compare with the target. Your audio stays on this device — nothing is uploaded.

4

Syllables

8

Letters

/ˈnɛ(e)ɡəˌɾɪv/

IPA

💡 Tip for remembering “negative”

"negative" has 4 syllables: neg-at-iv-e.

What does negative mean?

noun

  1. Refusal or withholding of assents; prohibition, veto
  2. A right of veto.

verb

  1. To refuse; to veto.
  2. To contradict.

adjective

  1. Not positive nor neutral.
  2. Of electrical charge of an electron and related particles

Synonyms

undesirable

Antonyms

affirmativenonnegativepositive

Hear “negative” in real sentences

Real example sentences from Tatoeba (CC-BY) — tap to hear each one, or see it used on YouGlish.

Related words

nonbaddissentientdisadvantageousdissidentdissentingantagonisticdismissive

Frequently asked questions

How many syllables are in "negative"?▾

"Negative" has 4 syllables: neg · at · iv · e.

What is the IPA transcription of "negative"?▾

The IPA transcription of "negative" is /ˈnɛ(e)ɡəˌɾɪv/.

What does "negative" mean?▾

Negative: Refusal or withholding of assents; prohibition, veto

Want the definition, translations into 8 languages, and read-aloud for full sentences?

Open “negative” in the full dictionary →