Niether vs. Neither — Which is Correct Spelling?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on March 31, 2024
"Niether" is an incorrect spelling, while "Neither" is correct. Neither denotes the absence of two options or alternatives.
Table of Contents
Which is correct: Niether or Neither
How to spell Neither?
Niether
Incorrect Spelling
Neither
Correct Spelling
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Key Differences
Associate the word with a common phrase or song, like "neither here nor there."
Remember the phrase "I before E except after C" - in this case, "I" comes before "E" in "Neither".
Link "Neither" to similar words like "either" to help remember the correct spelling.
Practice writing the word "Neither" a few times to commit the correct spelling to muscle memory.
Visualize the word "Neither" and its meaning as not one or the other.
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How Do You Spell Neither Correctly?
Incorrect: He has niether called me back nor replied to my email.
Correct: He has neither called me back nor replied to my email.
Incorrect: Niether of us is going to the party.
Correct: Neither of us is going to the party.
Incorrect: She could niether confirm nor deny the rumors.
Correct: She could neither confirm nor deny the rumors.
Incorrect: We have niether time nor money to waste on this project.
Correct: We have neither time nor money to waste on this project.
Incorrect: Niether the manager nor the employees were happy about the decision.
Correct: Neither the manager nor the employees were happy about the decision.
Neither Definitions
Referring to two things, to introduce the first of two negative statements.
Neither Mary nor John was present.
Not the one or the other of two people or things.
There were two games, but he liked neither.
Used to introduce a further negative statement.
It's neither big nor clever.
Used to indicate that two options are equally undesirable.
I want neither the chocolate nor the vanilla.
Used in negatives to state that each of two things is not true.
Neither statement is accurate.
Not one or the other; not either
Neither shoe feels comfortable.
Not either; not in either case. Used with the correlative conjunction nor
Neither we nor they want it. She neither called nor wrote. I got neither the gift nor the card.
Also not
If he won't go, neither will she.
Similarly not; also not
Just as you would not, so neither would they.
Not one of two; not either.
Neither definition seems correct.
Not either (used with nor).
Neither you nor I like it.
Not either one of two.
I’ve tried on both shirts, but neither fits properly.
Similarly not.
Just as you would not correct it, neither would I.
Neither can she stop him, nor can he stop her.
Neither now, nor ever will he forsake his mother.
Not either; not the one or the other.
Which of them shall I take?Both? one? or neither? Neither can be enjoyed,If both remain alive.
He neither loves,Nor either cares for him.
Not either; generally used to introduce the first of two or more coördinate clauses of which those that follow begin with nor.
Fight neither with small nor great, save only with the king.
Hadst thou been firm and fixed in thy dissent,Neither had I transgressed, nor thou with me.
When she put it on, she made me vowThat I should neither sell, nor give, nor lose it.
After a negative statement used to indicate that the next statement is similarly negative;
I was not happy and neither were they
Just as you would not complain, neither should he
Neither Meaning in a Sentence
Neither of the options seems appealing to me.
She found neither the book nor the wallet she lost.
Neither rain nor snow will stop the mail from being delivered.
Neither the teacher nor the students knew the answer.
Neither team could score a goal during the match.
I want to go neither to the beach nor to the mountain.
Neither of the movies was interesting to her.
Neither the lion nor the tiger is native to this continent.
Neither the hat nor the gloves matched her outfit.
Neither candidate received enough votes to win.
Neither the phone nor the computer was charged.
I have neither the time nor the patience for this.
Neither the guitar nor the piano was in tune.
He speaks neither Spanish nor French.
They were neither happy nor sad about the news.
Neither argument was convincing enough.
Neither job offer was what he was looking for.
Neither the wind nor the rain could stop them.
Neither decision will solve all our problems.
She could neither laugh nor cry after hearing the story.
Neither the sun nor the moon was visible in the sky.
Neither of my friends showed up to the party.
Neither path leads to the village.
Neither pizza nor pasta was on the menu.
Neither of them was aware of the other's presence.
Neither Idioms & Phrases
Neither fish nor fowl
Something that does not fit into a usual category or group.
The movie was neither fish nor fowl, not quite a comedy and not exactly a drama.
Neither here nor there, but everywhere
Not limited to any specific place or situation; widespread.
Her influence was neither here nor there, but everywhere, touching all aspects of the project.
Neither more nor less
Exactly; precisely.
The instructions were to bake it for neither more nor less than twenty-five minutes.
Neither rhyme nor reason
No logical or understandable explanation for something.
There's neither rhyme nor reason to his actions; they seem completely random.
Neither win nor lose
To end in a draw or stalemate.
The game ended in a tie, with neither team able to win nor lose.
Neither up nor down
Indifferent; having no preference.
I'm neither up nor down on where we eat; you decide.
Neither here nor there
Irrelevant or not important to the matter at hand.
Whether he arrives early or late is neither here nor there; the meeting will proceed without him.
Neither borrow nor lend be
Advising against borrowing or lending, usually to avoid trouble or loss.
As the old saying goes, neither borrow nor lend be, to keep friendships intact.
Neither seen nor heard
To go unnoticed or be inconspicuous.
The children were taught to be neither seen nor heard during adult conversations.
Neither use nor ornament
Useless; serving no practical purpose or aesthetic value.
That old piece of machinery is neither use nor ornament; it's just taking up space.
Common Curiosities
What is the root word of Neither?
The root word is Old English "nāhwæther."
Which vowel is used before Neither?
There is no fixed vowel used before "Neither." It depends on the sentence's context.
Which preposition is used with Neither?
"Of" as in "neither of them."
Which conjunction is used with Neither?
"Nor" is typically paired with "Neither."
What is the verb form of Neither?
Neither is not a verb, so it doesn't have a verb form.
Is Neither an adverb?
No, "Neither" is not an adverb.
What is the pronunciation of Neither?
It can be pronounced as "NEE-ther" or "NYE-ther."
Is Neither an abstract noun?
No, "Neither" is not an abstract noun.
Why is it called Neither?
It derives from Old English "nāhwæther," which means "not either."
Which article is used with Neither?
No article is used with "Neither."
Is Neither a negative or positive word?
"Neither" is a negative word.
Is Neither a vowel or consonant?
"Neither" is a word, not a single letter, so it's not classified as a vowel or consonant.
Is the word Neither imperative?
No, "Neither" is not imperative.
What is the singular form of Neither?
"Neither" is inherently singular.
What is the plural form of Neither?
Neither doesn’t have a plural form.
Is Neither a noun or adjective?
"Neither" can function as a pronoun or an adjective.
What is the second form of Neither?
Neither doesn't have verb forms, so there's no second form.
Is the Neither term a metaphor?
No, "Neither" is not a metaphor.
How many syllables are in Neither?
There are two syllables in "Neither."
What is a stressed syllable in Neither?
Depending on pronunciation, the stress can be on the first syllable "NEI-" or on the entire word.
What is the opposite of Neither?
The opposite is "Both."
How is Neither used in a sentence?
Example: "Neither the movie nor the book appealed to him."
Is Neither a countable noun?
No, "Neither" is not a countable noun.
Is Neither a collective noun?
No, "Neither" is not a collective noun.
What part of speech is Neither?
"Neither" is a pronoun or an adjective.
What is another term for Neither?
A similar term could be "not either."
How do we divide Neither into syllables?
It's divided as Nei-ther.
Which determiner is used with Neither?
No specific determiner is typically used with "Neither."
What is the first form of Neither?
Neither doesn't have verb forms. Its primary form is "Neither."
What is the third form of Neither?
Neither doesn't have verb forms, so there's no third form.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
