Neither was I

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "Neither was I" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in response to a negative statement or situation, indicating that the speaker shares the same sentiment or experience. Example: "I didn't enjoy the movie at all." "Neither was I."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

27 human-written examples

And neither was I, I discovered.

The Guardian - Opinion

And neither was I, to be honest.

The New York Times - Style

They didn't seem convinced and neither was I.

The Guardian - Sport

After the first hours of drenching waves and seasickness, neither was I.

The New Yorker

No, neither was I, but you're not reading it to a young child.

The Guardian - Books

But she wasn't all that interested in talking about her ethnic heritage, and in truth neither was I, so the conversation petered out pretty quickly.

The Guardian - Opinion

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

32 human-written examples

"And neither am I".

The New York Times

"And really, neither am I.

The New York Times

But hey, neither am I.

The New York Times - Travel

Mum wasn't perfect; neither am I.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

This was fine, because neither am I.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "Neither was I" to concisely express agreement with a negative statement. It's generally suitable for both formal and informal contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "Neither was I" in response to positive statements. For positive agreement, use "So was I" or "I was too".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "Neither was I" functions as a negative concord, expressing agreement with a preceding negative statement. It confirms that the speaker shares the same negative experience or sentiment. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is a correct and usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

94%

Wiki

3%

Science

3%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "Neither was I" is a grammatically sound and commonly used phrase to express agreement with a negative statement, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. Its usage spans from informal conversations to more formal writing, particularly in news and media. Alternatives like "me neither" and "I wasn't either" offer similar meanings with slight variations in formality. Remember to use "Neither was I" only in response to negative statements to maintain clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Me neither

More informal and direct way of expressing the same sentiment.

I wasn't either

A grammatically explicit alternative, suitable for varied registers.

Nor was I

More formal alternative, using inversion for emphasis.

I didn't either

Suitable when responding to a statement using "did not".

Same here

A very brief, informal way to indicate agreement.

I felt the same way

Emphasizes the shared feeling or experience.

That makes two of us

Highlights that at least one other person shares the same feeling.

I share that sentiment

A formal way of expressing agreement with a feeling or opinion.

I concur

A very formal and succinct way of indicating agreement.

Likewise

A polite, somewhat formal way to express the same.

FAQs

How to use "Neither was I" in a sentence?

Use "Neither was I" to agree with a negative statement. For example, if someone says, "I didn't like the movie", you can respond with "Neither was I" to indicate you also didn't like the movie.

What can I say instead of "Neither was I"?

You can use alternatives like "me neither", "I wasn't either", or "nor was I" depending on the context and desired formality.

Which is correct, "Neither was I" or "Me either"?

"Neither was I" is grammatically correct and suitable for formal and informal settings. "Me either" is more informal but widely accepted in conversational English. You can also say "I wasn't either".

When should I use "Neither am I" instead of "Neither was I"?

Use "Neither am I" when agreeing with a negative statement in the present tense. For example, if someone says, "I am not happy about this", you can respond with "Neither am I". Use "Neither was I" for past tense statements.