double negative

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "double negative" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when discussing grammatical constructions that involve two negative elements. An example is: "I don't need no help." Alternative expressions include "negative pair" and "two negatives."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

49 human-written examples

A strange, unintended double negative.

The New York Times

Double negative makes a positive.

The New Yorker

With the Spits and Double Negative.

The New York Times - Arts

No less impressive is Michael Heizer's Double Negative.

The Guardian - Arts

The edge is scalloped; across one indentation spans "Double Negative".

The New Yorker

I like to think the Double Negative fills another one".

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

10 human-written examples

Thus, California viewers are treated to what one might call double- negative spots.

The New York Times

That component, alpha-thujone, has a sort of double-negative effect on the brain.

The New York Times - Science

We enjoyed @WolmanTweets's bipartisan, lousy-with-double-negative submission, "Agree or don't not disagree?

The New Yorker

Hardcore was born as a double-negative genre: a rebellion against a rebellion.

The New Yorker

This focus on micro-politics, on scene citizenship, was central to hardcore, and to its double-negative identity.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Distinguish between logical negation (where two negatives equal a positive) and negative concord (where they reinforce a negative) based on your target audience and the variety of English you are using.

Common error

Writers often slip into a "double negative" in complex sentences (e.g. "I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't come") where they actually mean the opposite of what they intended. Always parse the logic of your negatives to ensure they do not accidentally flip the meaning of your sentence.

Linguistic Context

As a linguistic and rhetorical term, "double negative" describes a syntactic construction where two negative markers are used in a single clause. According to Ludwig, it can result in an affirmative meaning (logical negation) or reinforce a negative (negative concord). In formal English, its function is primarily as litotes, providing a more modest or careful way to state a fact.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

35%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Social Media

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

Ludwig data demonstrates that while "double negative" constructions are frequently scrutinized in standard academic English due to potential ambiguity, they remain a robust feature of English. Ludwig AI confirms its usability is heavily context-dependent: in logic, two negatives cancel out to form a positive, but in many world languages and non-standard English varieties, they serve to strengthen the negation through "negative concord". Writers should distinguish between unintended errors and intentional "litotes", which provides a sophisticated way to convey affirmative meanings with a layer of subtlety. Furthermore, the term has a highly specialized meaning in scientific research, particularly in flow cytometry and oncology, where it refers to cells lacking two specific markers. Overall, the phrase is a versatile linguistic tool that demands careful application to maintain clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

double negation

uses a more formal and technically precise noun form for the linguistic concept

negative concord

describes the specific linguistic phenomenon where multiple negatives intensify rather than cancel each other

multiple negation

provides a broader category that includes more than two negative markers in a sentence

litotes

refers specifically to the rhetorical use of a double negative to express an affirmative through understatement

emphatic negation

focuses on the communicative intent of using extra negatives to add stress to a statement

pleonastic negation

implies that one of the negative elements is grammatically redundant

cumulative negation

emphasizes how negatives build upon each other in certain dialects

negation pairing

focuses on the structural coupling of two negative words

contradictory negation

stresses the logical aspect where two negatives result in a positive

rhetorical understatement

describes the functional effect of the construction rather than its syntax

FAQs

Is a "double negative" grammatically correct?

While often flagged as incorrect in standard English when used for emphasis, a "double negative" is perfectly correct when used for "litotes" to express a nuanced positive. Ludwig AI notes it is both usable and accurate in many formal contexts.

What is an example of a "double negative"?

A common example is "not unpleasant", which means something is tolerable but not necessarily great. Other examples like "not uncommon" are frequently used in scientific research to suggest a degree of frequency without claiming something is typical.

Can I use a "double negative" for emphasis?

In informal speech and certain dialects, this is known as "negative concord". However, in formal writing, you should use "emphatic negation" through single markers like "at all" or "never" to avoid being perceived as ungrammatical.

What is the difference between a "double negative" and "multiple negation"?

A "double negative" refers specifically to two negative elements, whereas "multiple negation" is a broader term covering two, three or more negative markers used in the same clause.