German word

keineswegs

Pronunciation

IPA/kaɪ̯nəsˈveːks/

Meaning

  • adverbnot at all

Example

Das ist keineswegs deine Schuld.

That is not at all your fault.

Illustration for keineswegs (not at all)

More examples

Das Verhalten ist keineswegs akzeptabel.

The behavior is not at all acceptable.

Core concept

Every path toward a claim being true is blocked, so the claim is rejected completely.

Common phrases

  • keineswegs der Fall

    not at all the case

  • keineswegs akzeptabel

    not at all acceptable

  • keineswegs einverstanden

    not at all in agreement

Similar words

auf keinen Fall: Rejects something under every circumstance or refuses it outright.
keinesfalls: States that something is absolutely not possible or acceptable.
niemals: Says that something will never happen or has never happened.
überhaupt nicht: Denies that something applies or exists at all.

Definition in German

Verwendet, um auszudrücken, dass etwas keinesfalls zutrifft oder in keinster Weise der Fall ist.

Word origin

In keineswegs, the genitive form keines combines with Weges 'of way' in an old phrase meaning 'in no way', later fixed as one adverb.

Usage tips

  • Despite its final -s, keineswegs is an adverb and does not change for case, gender, or number.

Other meanings

  • by no meansadverb
  • in no wayadverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word