有一些比较形式字面上是否定的，但其实义则是肯定的，或者说它们已转义为肯定的。最明显的恐怕莫过于 as often as not 和 more often than not 了。
前者的本义是“经常与不经常各一半”，但其实义则是 quite often 或 fairly often （时常;往往），实例如：
(1)As often as not , he's late for work. （as likely as not 亦属此类）
more often than not 的本义是“经常多于不经常”，但其实义则是 usually （经常）（有的词典将 as often as not 和 more often than not 看作完全无区别的同义语），实例如：
(2)More often than not she misses the bus.
否定结构 no sooner than 的实义是“一……就……”，实例如：
(3)No sooner had we sat down than we found it was time to go.
否定结构 no more than 的实义是“只，仅仅”，实例如：
(4)He could no more than stammer at the window.（could no more than 的实义是“只能”）
否定结构 no less than 的实义是“同样”，实例如：
(5)She is no less beautiful than her sister.
“no less+名词+than”则意谓“正是”，实例如：
(6)He is no less a person than the king.
上例中的 no less a person 显然指大人物，下面一例中的 no less 则意谓“甚至”，有“了不起”的含义：
(7)He had married discreetly above him, a daughter of one of the City's most successful solicitors, who could number an Attorney-General, no less , among his not-too-distant ancestors. （注意 no less 的位置）
couldn't 与比较级连用时，也可具有肯定的实义，实例如：
(8)I couldn't agree more .
（其实义为：我非常同意）
最后，最高级 least 与否定词 not 连用时也可以用来表示一种形式上否定，实义上肯定的情况。一种形式是 not the least （least 相当于名词），可译作“最大的，尤其”等，如：
(9)They were devided by too many things. Not the least was the difference in their ages.
not the least 也常后接一 of 短语（或唤作 of 属格），如：
(10)He was fluent in several languages, not the least of which was Spanish.
(11)Perhaps not the least of her resentments was that she had taken especial pains with her toilet that morning, and he had not paid her any compliment.
还有一种较常见的形式是 not least，常用作状语，意谓 partly, quite importantly （可译作“尤其”、“很重要的是”等），如：
(12)America naturally has an enormous influence on Canada, not least in language.
(13)The trade had been bad, not least because of the increased cost of rubber.
但有时 not least 则与 not the least 无甚区别，如：
(14)Not least among the matters pleasing him was that his frequency of urination seemed definitely less.
