never

UK: /ˈnɛvə^r/ US: /ˈnɛvɚ/ ,(nev′ər)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

nev•er /ˈnɛvɚ/   adv. 

1. not ever;
   at no time;
   not at any time:
   It never happened. He never knew what hit him.
2. not at all;
   absolutely not:
   This will never do.

Idioms

3. Idioms never mind,  don't bother;
   don't concern yourself:
   Never mind about your mistake.
    

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

nev•er  (nev′ər), adv. 

1. not ever;
   at no time:
   Such an idea never occurred to me.
2. not at all;
   absolutely not:
   never mind; This will never do.
3. to no extent or degree:
   He was never the wiser for his experience.
4. Idioms never mind, don't bother;
   don't concern yourself.

• bef. 900; Middle English; Old English nǣfre, equivalent. to ne not + ǣfre ever

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

never / ˈnɛvə/ adverb , sentence_substitute

1. at no time; not ever
2. certainly not; by no means; in no case

interjection

1. Also: well I never! surely not!

Etymology: Old English nǣfre, from ne not + æfre everUSAGE
In informal speech and writing, never can be used instead of not with the simple past tenses of certain verbs for emphasis (I never said that; I never realized how clever he was), but this usage should be avoided in serious writing