Phrase guide

not on your life

adv · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

adv

Meaning 1

Absolutely not; under no circumstances.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • Do you think I will ever go back after that? Not on your life!

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: no chance, not a chance, by no means, no fear, nothing doing, no way, chance'd be a fine thing, not on your nelly

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

11 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: nooit van mijn leven — an emphatic negative
  • Dutch: van mijn leven niet — an emphatic negative
  • Finnish: ei missään nimessä — an emphatic negative
  • Finnish: ei tule kuuloonkaan — an emphatic negative
  • French: jamais de la vie — an emphatic negative
  • German: nie im Leben — an emphatic negative
  • German: im Leben nicht — an emphatic negative
  • Māori: nōhea hoki — an emphatic negative
  • Māori: nōwhea hoki — an emphatic negative
  • Polish: nigdy w życiu — an emphatic negative
  • Serbo-Croatian: ni za živu glavu — an emphatic negative