Phrase · B1 · Neutral · useful for qualified disagreement
not necessarily
naht nes-uh-SAIR-uh-lee Stress SAIR in necessarily; emphasize not when challenging an assumption.
Used to say that something may be true, but is not certain or does not follow automatically.
ne mora da znači; nije nužno
Use it
‘If the room is quiet, everyone must agree.’ ‘Not necessarily.’
Challenges the inference without saying that everyone disagrees.
Working late does not necessarily mean you are getting more done.
Rejects an automatic link between hours and productivity.
Build the sentence
Not necessarily. · not necessarily + adjective · does not necessarily + verb
Memory scene
Someone says expensive means better. You leave room for a cheaper product to be better: the conclusion is possible, not guaranteed.
Watch out
Not necessarily does not mean definitely not. It leaves both possibilities open. With an ordinary verb, use an auxiliary: It does not necessarily help, not It not necessarily helps.
Nearby language
Emphasizes exceptions across occasions; not necessarily also questions a single inference.
Strongly denies something rather than leaving its truth open.
Make it yours
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