nor

nor — conjunction

1. a word that connects two negative choices in a sentence that already starts with

1.conjunctionB1
Definition

a word that connects two negative choices in a sentence that already starts with 'neither', telling the reader that both options are not true, not wanted, or not possible.

Example

Neither the store manager nor any of the employees knew about the surprise inspection.

neither + noun phrase + nor + noun phrase

The patient could neither eat nor drink for twelve hours before the test.

neither + verb phrase + nor + verb phrase

Common collocations
  • neither...nor
Synonyms
  • and not either

    more wordy, used in informal speech ('She doesn't have a car, and she doesn't have a bike either.')

  • and neither

    used with inversion at the start of a second clause ('She doesn't have a car, and neither does he.')

Antonyms
  • and

    positive coordinator that connects two possibilities ('I like coffee and tea.')

  • or

    positive alternative coordinator ('You can have coffee or tea.')

Grammar Patterns

neither + [noun/verb/adjective] + nor + [same form]

neither X nor Y

Usage Note

The words or phrases after 'neither' and 'nor' must have the same grammatical form — both nouns, both verb phrases, both adjectives, etc. The main verb in a 'neither…nor' sentence is positive in form: say 'He neither called nor wrote', not 'He neither didn't call nor didn't write'.

Common Mistakes

I don't like neither coffee nor tea.
I like neither coffee nor tea.' or 'I don't like coffee or tea.
Using 'neither...nor' with a negative verb creates a double negative; use a positive verb with 'neither...nor'.

2. used at the start of a clause to say that a negative statement you just heard or

2.conjunctionB1
Definition

used at the start of a clause to say that a negative statement you just heard or read is also true for another person or thing; a short way of saying 'neither' or 'also not'.

Example

Christopher did not enjoy the film. 'Nor did I,' said Nikhil with a shrug.

Nor + did + subject — response agreement

The teacher did not think the essay was well written. Nor did the other markers.

Synonyms
  • neither

    fully interchangeable in this position ('Neither do I.' = 'Nor do I.'), but 'neither' is slightly more common in American English.

Antonyms
  • so

    used the same way but for positive statements ('I like it.' 'So do I.')

Grammar Patterns

nor + auxiliary verb + subject + main verb

Nor + do/does/did/can/will + subject + verb

Usage Note

When 'nor' begins a clause, the subject and auxiliary verb swap positions (inversion): 'Nor do I' not 'Nor I do'. This inversion does NOT happen after 'and nor': '…and nor have any of her classmates' is correct (no inversion because 'and' already connects).

Common Mistakes

I don't like sushi.' 'Nor I do.
Nor do I.
After 'nor' at the start of a response, the subject and auxiliary verb must be inverted.

3. introduces an additional negative point after a sentence that already contains '

3.conjunctionB2
Definition

introduces an additional negative point after a sentence that already contains 'not', 'never', 'no', or another negative word — the second negative point is typically something else that is also absent or not happening.

Example

The mayor did not attend the ceremony, nor did she send a representative.

not + [verb] ... , nor + did + subject

The hotel room was not clean, nor were the towels changed.

Common collocations
  • not...nor
  • never...nor
  • no...nor
Synonyms
  • and not either

    less formal, avoids inversion ('He didn't call, and he didn't come either.')

  • and neither

    same structure, interchangeable ('He didn't call, and neither did he come.')

Grammar Patterns

[negative clause], nor + auxiliary verb + subject + verb

not X, nor Y

Usage Note

This sense differs from sense 1 in that the first negative is expressed by 'not', 'never', 'no', 'without', etc., NOT by 'neither'. A comma usually separates the two clauses. The pattern is typical of formal written English.

Common Mistakes

He didn't call nor he came.
He didn't call, nor did he come.
When 'nor' introduces a new clause after a negative, the subject and auxiliary verb must be inverted.

4. used before a verb that looks positive (like 'did', 'could', 'would') to add ano

4.conjunctionB2
Definition

used before a verb that looks positive (like 'did', 'could', 'would') to add another negative action or situation that matches a negative one just mentioned — the verb is positive in form but the whole clause still says something did not happen.

Example

Heather did not call the clinic. Nor did she reply to their reminder message.

nor + did + subject — positive verb after negative statement

The witness did not see the driver's face. Nor could she recall the car's colour.

Synonyms
  • and neither

    nearly identical; 'and neither' can replace 'nor' in this pattern ('…and neither did she reply.')

Grammar Patterns

nor + positive auxiliary verb + subject + (positive main verb)

Nor + did/could/would/had + subject + verb

Usage Note

The verb after 'nor' in this sense is always a positive auxiliary (did, could, would, has, will, etc.) followed by the subject. The auxiliary carries the tense. Despite the positive verb form, the meaning remains negative: it adds something else that was not done, not possible, etc.

Common Mistakes

He didn't call. Nor he didn't text either.
He didn't call. Nor did he text.
After 'nor', the verb is positive in form even though the meaning is negative. Do not add another negative word like 'not'.

nor — combining form

nor — noun

Word family

  • neither
    determiner / pronoun / conjunctionB1
  • either
    determiner / pronoun / conjunctionB1
  • or
    conjunctionA1
  • noradrenaline
    nounC2
  • NOR gate
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: conjunction/1

'Nor' pairs with 'neither' to connect two negative alternatives ('Neither tea nor coffee'). The pair signals that both options are excluded. 'Neither' alone can begin a short response ('Neither do I'), while 'nor' alone can do the same with inversion ('Nor do I') — these are interchangeable. 'And not either' is a less formal, longer alternative used after a negative clause ('She doesn't drink tea, and she doesn't drink coffee either'). 'Or' is the positive counterpart in negative contexts: standard English uses 'not…or' ('I don't like tea or coffee'), not 'not…nor', to avoid double negation. In short: 'neither…nor' = both excluded; 'not…or' = both excluded but with a single negative; 'and not either' = the same idea unpacked into two clauses.

nor ↗neither ↗and not eitheror ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • neither...nor

Phrases

  • neither X nor Y
  • not X, nor Y
  • nor do/did/does/can/will

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

'Nor' comes from Middle English 'nother', a contraction of 'nother' (neither), which itself combines Old English 'nā' (not) and 'hwaether' (which of two). This 'nā + hwaether' root also gave us 'neither'. The word has kept its negative pairing job for over a thousand years, though its cousin 'nor' specialised into the second-slot connector in 'neither…nor' pairs.