ENGLISH
REFERENCE

not necessarily

idiom
Meaning

you use this to say that something might be true, but it is not always true or certain.


Examples
SIMPLE

Expensive things are not necessarily better.

CONTEXTUAL

Just because he is quiet, it is not necessarily true that he is shy.

COMPLEX

While the data suggests a positive trend, this does not necessarily mean that the project will succeed without further investment.

Last updated April 22, 2026