- A mild or indirect way of saying no or expressing slight disagreement, negation, or lack of enthusiasm.
- Often used to soften a negative response or indicate something is only partially true or not true to a significant extent.
Explanation
Origin
- Standard English, combining the negative not with the qualifier really (meaning actually or to a great extent).
- Used to hedge or qualify a simple no.
Synonyms & Related Expressions
Alternatives
Slang/Informal:
- Nah. (Can function similarly in some contexts)
- Meh.
- Not so much.
Vulgar/Emphatic:
- (Usually too strong for the mildness of Not really, but one might express strong lack of enjoyment/agreement with harsher terms after the initial Not really.) E.g., Not really. Actually, it fuckin' sucked.
Milder/Standard:
- Not particularly.
- Not especially.
- To be honest, no.
- I didn't particularly care for it. (Regarding enjoyment)
Situational Appropriateness
- Very common and appropriate in most situations, from casual to semi-formal.
- It's a polite way to be negative or disagree mildly.
- Might be considered slightly evasive if a direct yes or no is required.
Misunderstanding Warnings
- Generally clear.
- It means mostly no or leaning towards no, not maybe or partially yes. Non-native speakers might misinterpret the degree of negation.
Examples
- Are you busy right now? / Not really. What's up? (Meaning 'I'm not very busy')
- Did you enjoy the movie? / Not really. It was kind of boring.
- Is it difficult? / Not really, once you get the hang of it.
Dialogue
Alex: Do you like spicy food?
Sam: Not really. I prefer milder flavors.
Alex: Okay, good to know. I won't add extra chili then.
Jo: Was the traffic bad coming here?
Kim: Not really. It moved pretty smoothly today.
Social Media Examples
- Poll Answer: Are you enjoying the new update? -> Comment: Not really, it feels clunky.
- Chat: Are you mad at me? -> Not really, just a bit tired.
- Q&A Reply: Is this brand worth the hype? -> Not really imo [in my opinion].
Response Patterns
- Oh, okay.
- Often followed by the person who said Not really elaborating (Not really, because...).
- Might prompt a follow-up question (Why not?, What didn't you like about it?).
Common Follow-up Questions/Actions
After someone says Not really:
- They usually explain their position slightly (Not really. I have a few minutes., Not really. The plot was weak.).
- The asker might accept the answer or inquire further based on the explanation.
Conversation Starter
- No. It's a response to a question.
Intonation
- Often spoken with a neutral or slightly hesitant tone.
- Can have a downward inflection at the end.
- Stress might lightly fall on really. Not really.
Generation Differences
- Used by all generations.
Regional Variations
- Universal in English-speaking regions.