nay 1 of 2

adverb

ˈnā How to pronounce nay (audio)
Definition of naynext
as in indeed
not merely this but also I was angry—nay, furious—at the way they were treating that poor dog

Synonyms & Similar Words

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nay

2 of 2

noun

1
as in no
a vote or decision against something when the votes were tallied, it was 241 yeas and 54 nays

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in refusal
an unwillingness to grant something asked for gave a resounding nay to the request for a mixed-company camping trip

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of nay
Adverb
So, coming live from my Van Down By the River, Old Prospector's pickaxe in my right hand, Cowbell in my left, Opera Man wig on my head, El Nino thundering away above it, here are the eight footballers who could, nay should, host SNL. — SI.com, 9 Oct. 2019 And journalists who actually do their jobs are nay-saying trouble-makers who have the temerity to not rely on press releases. — Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 26 May 2012
Noun
Rand Paul Paul’s office also did not immediately respond to a request for comment on his nay vote. — Connor Greene, Time, 23 June 2026 But my curiosity proved stronger than my nay-saying. — Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 8 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for nay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nay
  1. indeed
  2. no
  3. refusal
  4. certainly
  5. veto
  6. rejection
  7. surely
  8. denial
Adverb
  • In War, for example, Morgan Henderson does indeed cheat on his wife with a 20-something aspiring actress.
    — Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 24 Oct. 2026
  • You may be forgiven for anticipating a potboiler climax when a lush hideaway with a private beach is concerned, and what occurs there is indeed juicy.
    — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of indeed
Noun
  • The answer seemed to be a firm no, but then Harry moved to the UK, and rumors started up again.
    — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The typical don’t-take-no-for-an-answer strategy that car salespeople use is, unfortunately, very effective.
    — Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of no
Noun
  • The refusal has to be enforced in the part of the system that does not get rewritten every sprint.
    — Murali Rajendran, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Opposite him is Nouri, the idealistic doctor, whose refusal to enforce a Sharia court order puts his life in jeopardy.
    — Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of refusal
Adverb
  • While the iPhone Duo’s software certainly felt much smoother and more fluid than Android alternatives, many of its core features have been available on Samsung or Google phones for years.
    — Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026
  • From broader cultural debates, including race and equity, to how the league enforces its rules, there are certainly things the new WNBA commissioner will need to address next season and beyond.
    — Scott Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of certainly
Noun
  • The veto’s limits Under these rules, trading platforms do not need a company’s permission to offer tokenized versions of its shares.
    — Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Charlotte Mayor Robert Harrington’s historic veto held Monday after the City Council declined to challenge it.
    — Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of veto
Noun
  • The shouts of rejection came in part because there was a plausible scenario under which James would have opened the season at Madison Square Garden in a Knicks uniform.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Long before launch, the team faced obstacles that nearly thwarted the endeavor — chiefly, two rejections from NASA — before finally securing the green light for the $1 billion project under the New Frontiers Program in 2011.
    — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of rejection
Adverb
  • August Barron was one of the breakout shows of the season; this windswept look will surely find its way onto the right red carpet.
    — Joan Kennedy, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2026
  • To move forward and, one day, make reparation would surely mean including voices that might have made Mike Wallace nervous, and perhaps fall well outside Weiss’s favored forty-yard lines.
    — Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of surely
Noun
  • Brandon McElroy, who founded the nonprofit Green Air Solutions to lead the fight against J7, said in an interview that the denial was a decisive win.
    — Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2026
  • If the company chooses to obey, the Chinese might retaliate with the denial of crucial rare-earth metals.
    — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of denial

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Nay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nay. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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