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View synonyms for

neutral

[noo-truhl, nyoo-]

adjective

  1. not taking part or giving assistance in a dispute or war between others.

    Sweden was a neutral nation during World War II.

  2. not aligned with or supporting any side or position in a controversy.

    The arbitrator was absolutely neutral.

    Synonyms: , , , ,
  3. of or belonging to a state or party that is not taking part or giving assistance in a dispute.

    Troops cannot be recruited from neutral territory.

  4. of no particular kind, characteristics, etc.; indefinite (sometimes used in combination): The awards show has announced a new gender-neutral acting category alongside its longstanding Best Actress and Best Actor ones.

    She had a neutral personality that made no impression whatever.

    The awards show has announced a new gender-neutral acting category alongside its longstanding Best Actress and Best Actor ones.

  5. (of a color or shade)

    1. gray; without hue; of zero chroma; achromatic.

    2. matching well with many or most other colors or shades, as white or beige.

  6. Botany, Zoology.neuter.

  7. not causing or reflecting a change in something.

    It is believed that the new tax law will be revenue neutral.

  8. Chemistry.exhibiting neither acid nor alkaline qualities.

    neutral salts.

  9. Physics.

    1. (of a particle) having no charge.

    2. (of an atom, molecule, collection of particles, fluid, or solid) having no net charge; electroneutral; not electrified.

    3. not magnetized.

  10. Phonetics.(of a vowel) pronounced with the tongue relaxed in a central position, as the a in alive; reduced.



noun

  1. a person or a nation that remains unaligned with any side, as in a controversy or war.

  2. a citizen of a nation that does not join or support any side during a war.

  3. Machinery, Automotive.the position or state of disengaged gears or other interconnecting parts.

    in neutral.

  4. a neutral color.

neutral

/ ˈːٰə /

adjective

  1. not siding with any party to a war or dispute

  2. of, belonging to, or appropriate to a neutral party, country, etc

    neutral land

  3. of no distinctive quality, characteristics, or type; indifferent

  4. (of a colour such as white or black) having no hue; achromatic

  5. (of a colour) dull, but harmonizing with most other colours

  6. a less common term for neuter

  7. chem neither acidic nor alkaline

  8. physics having zero charge or potential

  9. rarehaving no magnetism

  10. phonetics (of a vowel) articulated with the tongue relaxed in mid-central position and the lips midway between spread and rounded

    the word ``about'' begins with a neutral vowel

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. a neutral person, nation, etc

  2. a citizen of a neutral state

  3. the position of the controls of a gearbox that leaves the transmission disengaged

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

neutral

  1. Neither acid nor alkaline.

  2. Having no inherent or net charge, especially electric charge.

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Other Word Forms

  • neutrally adverb
  • antineutral adjective
  • antineutrally adverb
  • nonneutral adjective
  • nonneutrally adverb
  • quasi-neutral adjective
  • quasi-neutrally adverb
  • semineutral adjective
  • unneutral adjective
  • unneutrally adverb
  • ˈԱٰܳ adverb
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Word History and Origins

Origin of neutral1

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin Աٰܳ “grammatically neuter,” from neutr- (stem of neuter neuter ( def. ) ) + - -al 1
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Word History and Origins

Origin of neutral1

C16: from Latin Աٰܳ; see neuter
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The following week, East Lothian Council said children in two of their primary schools with gender neutral toilets would be directed to use separate facilities in future.

From

The majority of the English 'neutrals' in the crowd are supporting South Africa, and they were whipped into a frenzy by the Australian capitulation which followed in the evening.

From

And with no place for neutral Tests at Lord's on the honours board since they were refurbished in 2018 it may well be stencilled on there permanently.

From

“Everybody in our group is neutral about race,” he told the New York Times in 1970.

From

The scene at the so-called “kitsch-en,” for instance, wonderfully captures Willis’ commitment to playfulness as a central design conceit — something all too rare in a world often dressed in basic neutrals.

From

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Neutraneutral axis