Negative describes something that expresses disapproval, opposition, or the absence of something positive. When your teacher gives you negative feedback on an essay, she's pointing out problems rather than praising what you did well. A negative response to an invitation means “no.” A negative attitude means focusing on what's wrong instead of what's right.

In mathematics, negative numbers fall below zero on the number line. If you owe someone five dollars, you could say you have negative five dollars compared to breaking even. Temperatures drop into negative numbers during harsh winter cold snaps, like negative ten degrees.

In science, negative describes electrical charge (the opposite of positive) or test results that show the absence of something. A negative test result for strep throat means you don't have the infection, which is actually good news despite the word “negative.”

Notice how versatile this word is: a negative in photography is the reversed image on film, and in grammar, negatives are words like “no,” “not,” and “never” that reverse meaning. When someone sees only negatives in a situation, they may miss the good parts. Constructive criticism is a kind of negative feedback that can help you improve, especially when it includes specific suggestions.