What does negated mean?
Negated means that a statement, claim, condition, or proposition has been denied or expressed in the opposite terms. It is especially important in logic, where a negated proposition reverses the assertion made by the original statement. For example, saying that a number is not greater than five is a negated claim, even though the sentence is grammatically positive. In ordinary discussion, negated can describe a rumor or assertion that has been rejected, as in “the negated version of the story.” The word is more precise than merely negative: negative may indicate opposition, absence, or an unfavorable condition, while negated points specifically to denial or reversal. It is consequently common in mathematics, formal logic, law, and careful analytical writing, though simpler substitutes such as denied or reversed are often preferable in conversation.
adjectiveDenied, reversed, or expressed in negative terms. In logic, a negated statement is one whose assertion or truth is expressly denied.
- Denied or made opposite to an original statement, claim, condition, or proposition.
"The evidence supports the original claim, making the negated version plainly false."
"The report was careful not to present the allegations as facts and instead referred to a negated version of the claim."
"In formal logic, the negated proposition has the opposite truth value of the original."
A negated claim reverses the assertion it targets, turning what is affirmed into what is explicitly denied.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does negated come from?
Negated comes from the Latin root negare, meaning “to deny” or “to say no,” through the English verb negate. The suffix -ed forms an adjective indicating that something has been denied or made contrary to an original assertion. Related English forms include negation, negative, and negatory, while cognates in other European languages reflect the same Latin root.
Related word forms
How negated is actually used
The term is formal and especially common in logic, mathematics, and precise analysis. In everyday speech, denied or reversed may sound more natural.
Easily confused with negated
Negative broadly expresses opposition, absence, or an unfavorable condition, whereas negated specifically describes something that has been denied or logically reversed.