Negation particle 'beileibe nicht' (by no means)

beileibe nicht means by no means / certainly not and is an emphatic, somewhat old-fashioned reinforcement of a negation. The particle beileibe (originally an oath-like by your life) intensifies a following nicht or kein and signals that the speaker firmly distances themselves from the idea.

Unlike mitnichten, beileibe normally stays attached to the negator and does not negate on its own; you need the nicht/kein.

• Das ist beileibe nicht einfach. - That is by no means easy.
• Das war beileibe nicht meine Absicht. - That was certainly not my intention.
• Sie ist beileibe keine Anfängerin. - She is by no means a beginner.

Common mistakes: Do not drop the nicht/kein - beileibe alone does not negate (Das ist beileibe einfach would mean the opposite). Keep it in the elevated register; in casual speech wirklich nicht or überhaupt nicht is more natural.

'beileibe nicht' (by no means / certainly not) reinforces a negation.

Reinforces a negation (by no means); 'beileibe' precedes 'nicht/kein'.

'beileibe nicht' verstärkt eine Verneinung.