Antonyms for positive
| Grammar : Adj |
| Spell : poz-i-tiv |
| Phonetic Transcription : ˈpɒz ɪ tɪv |
Definition of positive
Origin :- early 14c., originally a legal term meaning "formally laid down," from Old French positif (13c.) and directly from Latin positivus "settled by agreement, positive" (opposed to naturalis "natural"), from positus, past participle of ponere "put, place" (see position (n.)).
- Sense of "absolute" is from mid-15c. Meaning in philosophy of "dealing only with facts" is from 1590s. Sense broadened to "expressed without qualification" (1590s), then "confident in opinion" (1660s); mathematical use is from 1704; in electricity, 1755. Psychological sense of "concentrating on what is constructive and good" is recorded from 1916.
- adj definite, certain
- adj beneficial, helpful
- I can not give you any positive dates connected with Prehistoric Man.
- Extract from : « Ancient Man » by Hendrik Willem van Loon
- To all the generations before our own matter was a sheer and positive density.
- Extract from : « The Conquest of Fear » by Basil King
- The positive character of this prediction made it very, welcome.
- Extract from : « Punchinello, Vol. 1, No. 6, May 7, 1870 » by Various
- Let us by all means give them instead a dose of positive philosophy.
- Extract from : « The Roof of France » by Matilda Betham-Edwards
- It means also the power of soul accumulated in the positive doing of good.
- Extract from : « Understanding the Scriptures » by Francis McConnell
- Daisy would never have done this consciously--of that I am positive.
- Extract from : « In the Valley » by Harold Frederic
- Yer'd be positive o' passin' 'er if she didn't syle afore 'igh-tide.
- Extract from : « The Black Bag » by Louis Joseph Vance
- There is a positive vulgarity in carrying your business affairs about with you as you do.'
- Extract from : « Little Dorrit » by Charles Dickens
- The air did not seem lovely to him, for he was positive that he detected the taint.
- Extract from : « Alice Adams » by Booth Tarkington
- It is the vertebra which steadies him plumb up to a positive perpendicular.
- Extract from : « Punchinello, Vol. 1, No. 11, June 11, 1870 » by Various
Synonyms for positive
- absolute
- actual
- affirmative
- assured
- categorical
- clear
- clear-cut
- cocksure
- cold
- complete
- conclusive
- concrete
- confident
- constructive
- consummate
- convinced
- decided
- decisive
- direct
- downright
- effective
- efficacious
- explicit
- express
- factual
- firm
- forceful
- forcible
- forward-looking
- genuine
- good
- hard
- inarguable
- incontestable
- incontrovertible
- indisputable
- indubitable
- irrefutable
- out-and-out
- outright
- perfect
- practical
- productive
- progressive
- rank
- real
- reasonable
- sound
- specific
- sure
- thorough
- thoroughgoing
- unambiguous
- undeniable
- unequivocal
- unmistakable
- unmitigated
- useful
Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019