not necessarily
phrase
: possibly but not certainly
—used to say that something is not definitely true
Seats in the front row are not necessarily the best.
"We're going to lose this game." "Not necessarily."
Cite this Entry
“Not necessarily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/not%20necessarily. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.
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