not really
idiom
—used to say "no" in a way that is not very forceful or definite
"Was the movie good?" "Not really."
"Do you want to go to a movie?" "No, not really."
Examples of not really in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But that’s not really how a lot of comic shops actually shelved their books these days.
—
Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Oct. 2024
There’s not really quote unquote strong personalities in our group.
—Jim Ryan, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
Millennials and Gen Zers alike reminisced about snacking on all the things that were not really meant to be snacks at all: spoonfuls of sprinkles, ice cubes, cereal and, yes, even handfuls of grated cheese.
—Suzanne Hayes, Parents, 31 Oct. 2024
Because the production was not really respectful of the quality of the songs.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 6 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for not really 
Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Oct. 2024
There’s not really quote unquote strong personalities in our group.
—Jim Ryan, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
Millennials and Gen Zers alike reminisced about snacking on all the things that were not really meant to be snacks at all: spoonfuls of sprinkles, ice cubes, cereal and, yes, even handfuls of grated cheese.
—Suzanne Hayes, Parents, 31 Oct. 2024
Because the production was not really respectful of the quality of the songs.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 6 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for not really
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'not really.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near not really
Cite this Entry
“Not really.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/not%20really. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
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