Meaning & use
not being
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Meanings
phraseuncountable
the state or fact of not existing, or the act of not existing in a particular way
Grammar: Used as a noun phrase; often follows a preposition like 'of' or 'about'.
Patterns
- the state of not being
- fear of not being
The philosopher wrote about the nature of not being.
Her greatest fear was not being, rather than dying.
phrasephrasal verb
the negative -ing form of the verb 'be', used to say that someone or something is not something or does not have a quality
Grammar: Functions as a participle or gerund; often follows a preposition or an auxiliary verb.
Patterns
- not being + adjective
- not being + noun
- without not being
He apologized for not being ready on time.
Not being a doctor, she couldn't give medical advice.
They left without not being noticed.
Common combinations
- not being able to
- Not being able to swim, he stayed in the shallow end.
- not being sure
- Not being sure of the answer, she kept quiet.
- not being there
- Not being there for the birth of his son was his biggest regret.
- despite not being
- Despite not being invited, he showed up anyway.
Synonyms and how they differ
Opposites
Commonly confused: not being or nonbeing?
not being vs nonbeing
A noun meaning nonexistence or a nonexistent thing; 'not being' is the negative verb form, while 'nonbeing' is a philosophical term.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'not being' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Not being told' is the correct passive -ing form after the preposition 'about'. The other options use wrong verb forms or word order.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “not being”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.