What does "neither" mean?

1. (not one of two) not one and not the other of two things or people. 2. (not either one) not one or the other of two people or things already mentioned. 3. (neither... nor) used with 'nor' to connect two negative choices. 4. (similarly not) used to show that a negative statement is also true for someone or something else.

How do you use "neither"?

Always used with a singular noun when acting as a determiner. Often followed by 'of' before a plural noun or pronoun. The verb usually agrees with the subject closest to it. Requires subject-auxiliary inversion (e.g., 'neither do I' instead of 'neither I do').

neither — meaning, definition & examples

Q: Is it correct to say "Neither of the books were interesting."?

No — say "Neither of the books was interesting.". In formal writing, 'neither' is singular and takes a singular verb.

Q: Is it correct to say "I neither like tea or coffee."?

No — say "I neither like tea nor coffee.". Always pair 'neither' with 'nor', not 'or'.

Word

01not one of two

B1 · Intermediate

det. not one and not the other of two things or people.

det. used before a singular noun to indicate that each of two things or people is excluded.

“Neither team played well enough to win the game today.”

“Neither candidate managed to secure a majority during the first round of voting, leading to a tense runoff election.”

Usage

Always used with a singular noun when acting as a determiner.

Pitfall

Neither of the books were interesting.

Neither of the books was interesting.

In formal writing, 'neither' is singular and takes a singular verb.

Synonyms

not either

Antonyms

both either

02not either one

B1 · Intermediate

pron. not one or the other of two people or things already mentioned.

pron. a negative pronoun referring to two entities, meaning not the one nor the other.

“I tried two different keys, but neither worked in the lock.”

“The manager interviewed two highly qualified applicants, but unfortunately, neither possessed the specific technical certifications required for the senior role.”

Usage

Often followed by 'of' before a plural noun or pronoun.

Synonyms

none of the two

Antonyms

both

03neither... nor

B1 · Intermediate

conj. used with 'nor' to connect two negative choices.

conj. a correlative conjunction used with 'nor' to link two words or phrases that are both being denied.

“The hotel was neither clean nor comfortable for the price we paid.”

“The proposed legislation was neither economically viable nor politically popular, resulting in its immediate rejection by the senate.”

Usage

The verb usually agrees with the subject closest to it.

Pitfall

I neither like tea or coffee.

I neither like tea nor coffee.

Always pair 'neither' with 'nor', not 'or'.

Antonyms

both... and

04similarly not

B1 · Intermediate

adv. used to show that a negative statement is also true for someone or something else.

adv. used to introduce a further negative statement, typically in response to a previous negative clause.

“I don't like spicy food, and neither does my sister.”

“The local council did not approve the new development, and neither did the environmental protection agency.”

Usage

Requires subject-auxiliary inversion (e.g., 'neither do I' instead of 'neither I do').

Synonyms

nornot... either

Antonyms

so too

Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “neither” in context.

Verb

01. like neither option

“I have to choose between the early shift or the late one, but I like neither option.”

verb + noun

02. support neither side

“The country decided to remain neutral and support neither side in the conflict.”

verb + noun

03. want neither of the dresses

“She tried on two different outfits but decided she wanted neither of the dresses.”

verb + noun + of + noun

Noun

04. neither answer is correct

“I looked at the two choices provided, but neither answer is correct.”

noun + verb

05. neither parent

“Neither parent was able to attend the school meeting last night.”

noun + noun

06. neither team

“The game was very boring because neither team scored a goal.”

noun + noun

Alteration (after either) of nauther, from Middle English neiþer, from Old English nāwþer, contraction of nāhwæþer, corresponding to no + whether. Compare Latin neuter (“neither”). By surface analysis, not + either.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

both nor or whether