not even once

USAGE SUMMARY

"not even once" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to emphasize that something has never happened in the past and is unlikely to happen in the future. Example: I haven't been late to work even once this year.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"Not even once?" "No".

The New Yorker

Not even once.

The Economist

"I never felt scared, not even once.

The Guardian

"Not even once?" Mizuki shook her head.

The New Yorker

They haven't used it, not even once.

The New York Times - Travel

It's not even once in a generation.

The Guardian - Sport

They didn't beat me, not even once".

The Guardian

"Today, I didn't miss my spot, not even once".

The New York Times - Sports

Their unpresentable friend won't come, not even once.

The New Yorker

Had "Marseille" been completed 10 times or not even once?

The New York Times

I have never, not even once, missed him.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "not even once" to strongly emphasize the absence of an occurrence, creating a more impactful statement.

Common error

While effective for emphasis, avoid using "not even once" excessively in highly formal writing. Opt for more neutral alternatives like "never" or "on no occasion" to maintain a professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "not even once" functions as an emphatic adverbial phrase, used to intensify the negation of an action or event. Ludwig AI confirms its usability. It highlights the complete absence of something occurring, as seen in the examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Academia

15%

Science

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "not even once" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to emphasize the complete absence of an event or action. Ludwig AI confirms its correct and usable nature. Predominantly found in news and media, it serves to add impact to negative statements. While effective, its use should be moderated in highly formal contexts. Related alternatives include phrases like "never once" or "not a single time", offering similar emphasis with slight variations in tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

never once

Emphasizes the complete absence of an occurrence, similar to the original phrase. /s/never+once

not a single time

Highlights the lack of even a single instance.

not in any instance

Formally expresses the absence of an event in any situation.

zero times

Quantitatively indicates that something has never happened.

on no occasion

Emphasizes the absence of an event in a more formal tone.

at no point

Highlights that something did not occur at any stage or moment.

never at all

Adds emphasis to the concept of 'never'.

absolutely never

Stresses the impossibility of an event occurring.

not ever

Simply emphasizes that something has never happened.

in no way

Indicates that something is completely impossible or has not happened.

FAQs

How can I use "not even once" in a sentence?

"Not even once" is used for emphasis to indicate that something has never happened. For example, "I have "never once" felt this way before."

What phrases are similar to "not even once"?

Alternatives include "never once", "not a single time", or "on no occasion", all emphasizing the absence of an event.

Is it grammatically correct to use "not even once"?

Yes, "not even once" is grammatically correct and commonly used, particularly for adding emphasis to a negative statement. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English.

When is it appropriate to use "not even once" in writing?

It is appropriate in situations where you want to strongly emphasize that something has absolutely never occurred, but avoid overuse in highly formal contexts where it might be perceived as too informal.