negativeneg·a·tive /ˈnegətɪv/ adjectiveadj1bad or harmfulThe Bank’s refusal to cut interest rates is having a negative effect on the economy.
2saying or meaning ‘no’a negative response
3considering only the bad qualities of a situation, person etc and not the good onesnegative aboutStock analysts are growing increasingly negative about general insurance stocks.
4less than zeroThe difference between a positive growth rate of 0.5% and a negative rate of 0.5% is so small the average businessman would be unlikely to feel it.
—negatively adverbadvFinancial markets reacted negatively to the Fed’s announcement.