have-not

noun

ˈhav-ˌnät How to pronounce have-not (audio)
-ˈnät
: one that is poor especially in material wealth

Examples of have-not in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Things will get even worse since the AGI haves will presumably flourish in new ways and far outpace the AGI have-nots. Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025 What could stem from that is any or all of the following: the introduction of private equity, an NFL-style super league with a bigger playoff, a greater gap between haves and have-nots in college sports, and, of course, increased payouts for players. Eddie Pells, Twin Cities, 1 Sep. 2025 Far removed from the beat-up mini-fridges and crooked posters of the past, the dramatic transformations are unnecessary, some say, and reflect the widening line between the haves and have-nots in the United States. Jeremy Mikula, NBC news, 24 Aug. 2025 With fewer homes available for median earners, today's housing market is widening the gap between the haves and have-nots, with younger Americans less likely to buy a home, the study says. Mike Winters, CNBC, 21 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for have-not

Word History

First Known Use

1836, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of have-not was in 1836

Cite this Entry

“Have-not.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/have-not. Accessed 14 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

have-not

noun
ˈhav-ˌnät,
-ˈnät
: one that is poor in material wealth

More from Merriam-Webster on have-not

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