neither … nor
Not one, another
Neither … nor is a conjunction pair that presents two (or more) things as equally excluded or negated: Neither the coach nor the players were available for comment.
It's the negative counterpart of "either … or." The construction emphasizes that both options are rejected, not just one: I neither know nor care.
In formal usage, neither takes a singular verb when both elements are singular, though plural verbs are common in speech.
- binary choiceSelection between two alternatives
- black and whiteWithout middle ground
- all or nothingExtreme without compromise
- antithesisDirect opposite; contrasting juxtaposition
- exclusionBeing barred from participation
rule out · conjunction · dichotomy · polarity · negation · correlative · denial · opposition · rejection · clarity · emphasis · mutual exclusion · contrast · contradiction · precision · double negative · absence · formality
neither … norboth … and
Conjunction pairing two items
not only … but also · either … or · all of · as well as · each and every
neither … noreither … or
Phrase presenting two alternatives
both … and · one or the other · any · each · at least one