Cool MateAbsolutely not vs Not at all
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Absolutely not
InformalTop 3,000 (common)
Not at all
Top 2,000 (common)
Most formal: Not at allMost common: Not at all
| Absolutely not | Not at all | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //ˈæb.sə.luːt.li nɒt//🇺🇸 //ˈæb.sə.luːt.li nɑːt// | 🇬🇧 //nɒt æt ɔːl//🇺🇸 //nɑt æt ɔl// |
| Meaning | Definitely not; strong refusal. | not even a little bit |
| Example | Can we go swimming in this cold weather? Absolutely not! | I didn't like the movie, not at all. |
| Register | Informal | Neutral |
| How common | Top 3,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| Collocations | say absolutely not, respond absolutely not, use absolutely not | not at all worried, not at all surprising, not at all offended |
| Antonyms | - | at all, somewhat, partially |
| Common mistakes | Using it with a polite tone in formal situations., Confusing it with 'maybe' or 'possibly'. | Confusing with 'not really' which is less absolute., Using it in formal contexts where a less emphatic phrase is better., Omitting it when it's necessary for clarity. |
| Usage notes | Use in casual conversations to strongly disagree. Avoid in formal settings. | Use 'not at all' to emphasize complete disagreement or absence. It's appropriate in both spoken and written contexts but less common in formal writing. |
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Frequently asked questions: Absolutely not vs Not at all
What's the difference between Absolutely not and Not at all?
Absolutely not: Definitely not; strong refusal. Not at all: not even a little bit
Which is more formal: Absolutely not and Not at all?
Not at all is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: Absolutely not and Not at all?
Not at all is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Absolutely not: Can we go swimming in this cold weather? Absolutely not! Not at all: I didn't like the movie, not at all.
Can I use Absolutely not and Not at all interchangeably?
Not always. Absolutely not and Not at all are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.