have
0 antonyms and opposites of have, grouped by meaning.
Verb — To own or possess something.
How to use have
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Old English habban, going back to a very old Germanic root meaning "to hold" or "seize" — related to the English word "heave."
Full origin of have →Frequently asked questions
What does “have” mean?
The word “have” means to own or possess something. In plain terms, one of the most common English verbs: to own something, to experience something, or to help build other verb tenses like "have done" or "have gone.".
How do you pronounce “have”?
“Have” is pronounced HAV (/ˈhæv/ in IPA).
How do you use “have” in a sentence?
Here is “have” used in a sentence: “They have a house near the coast.”
What is another word for “have”?
Words with a similar meaning to “have” include sleep with and take.
What part of speech is “have”?
“Have” is a verb.
Where does the word “have” come from?
The word “have” comes from Old English. From Old English habban, going back to a very old Germanic root meaning "to hold" or "seize" — related to the English word "heave.".
Is “have” a common word?
“Have” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “have” have?
“Have” has 5 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to own or possess something.
What is the difference between "have" and "has"?
Both are present-tense forms of the same verb: "has" is used with he, she, it, and singular nouns ("she has a car"), while "have" is used with I, you, we, they, and plural nouns ("they have a car"). In questions and negatives formed with "do," the base form "have" is always used: "Does she have a car?"
What is the difference between "have" and "have got"?
For possession, "have" and "have got" mean the same thing: "I have a brother" and "I've got a brother" are interchangeable. "Have got" is more common in informal British English, while plain "have" is preferred in formal writing and in American English.
Is "should of" ever correct instead of "should have"?
No. "Should of" is a misspelling caused by the sound of the contraction "should've," which is short for "should have." The same applies to "could have" and "would have" — never "could of" or "would of."
What is the difference between "have" and "own"?
"Own" strictly means to possess something as property, while "have" is much broader: you can have a cold, have a shower, or have a good time, where nothing is owned at all. "Have" also covers experiencing or undergoing something, so it fits many situations where "own" would be wrong.